DGH has considerable expertise in a broad range of environmental issues, including waste and carbon management and energy efficiency. Our people, who include Chartered waste managers and engineers, have the skills to identify and quantify our clients’ environmental impacts.We hope you enjoy this periodic e-newsletter. If so, please feel free to forward to a colleague. If not, apologies, and there is an unsubscribe link at the foot of this email.
CREATE YOUR OWN LOW CARBON VILLAGE
DGH works closely with a number of companies to partner clients with African villages to transform them into ‘low carbon villages’. These projects are created as part of the client’s carbon offsetting programme and, once established, the client can control the project from an offset and marketing point of view. We identify suitable projects and then provide technical and project management services to support the implementation of these projects.
The concept behind a low carbon village is to work closely with a local community and its leaders (currently mostly in Africa) to identify and develop a range of carbon saving and environmental projects that will enable the village to reduce its carbon footprint. In addition, they can invest a percentage of the project fund into other areas to benefit the community, such as lighting, desks, chairs and stationery for the local school.
UK DELUDED OVER GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
The respected Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) based at the University of York states that the UK is deluding itself over its claim to be cutting greenhouse gases. Two reports show that instead of falling since the 1990s, UK greenhouse gas emissions have been growing in line with the economy. This is due to the exclusion of emissions from aviation, shipping and imported goods from the reported figures. Under international climate change agreements, only domestic emissions within national boundaries, which we have direct influence over, are considered and form the basis for the UK’s commitments.
COMMERCIAL EPCs PHASED IN
Commercial properties that were publicly marketing from 1 July 2008 now require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs). Commercial premises with a total usable area over 2,500 square metres that are sold, rented out, constructed, or modified require an EPC. Properties which were being marketed before 1 July can take advantage of transitional regulations, and the seller only needs to obtain an EPC after the exchange of contracts. The final phase-in date is 1 October 2008, when EPCs will be required for all commercial buildings.
BUSINESSES FAIL TO SAVE ENERGY SAYS IOD
Businesses are failing to take even simple steps to save energy, according to a report by the Institute of Directors (IoD). This results in extra costs, which are then passed on to customers, making UK businesses less profitable. In a survey of more than 500 British companies, the IoD found that around 60% do not have an energy-saving programme. Small businesses alone were losing more than £1 billion a year by failing to make even modest improvements in efficiency. David Boomer, head of energy efficiency and climate change at the IoD, fears the emphasis on saving energy as a way to cut carbon emissions has overshadowed the financial benefits it also provides. He called on the Government to focus more on helping companies and small businesses to improve their energy efficiency.
NOISE CAN LEAD TO HEART ATTACKS
A recent study from the GLA has linked persistently high levels of road traffic noise with heart failure, causing 1.8% of the total number of acute heart attacks. This work was undertaken due to the lack of health impact research being undertaken by Defra. Work is continuing to assess the impact of noise from Heathrow and London City Airports.
WIND TURBINES WIND PEOPLE UP
Following the Government’s call for a large increase in the number of UK wind turbines, the results of an EU funded study into the perception of wind farms by residents living near to the sites has recently been published. It reveals that noise from wind turbines is more annoying than other industrial noises of the same magnitude and is poorly masked by background noise. One of the main problems can be that masking noise often drops at night, whereas wind turbine noise may not reduce.
For further information contact David Hooper