Alice Bond

We've published new research carried out by Verian Group about the use of secondary heating and how this might change in future: https://lnkd.in/eCNTwxgV 🏡 Generally, households surveyed used secondary heating to fulfil needs that their primary heating could not. For example, to deliver heat at the desired temperature if their primary heating system was insufficient in colder months. While others did so because they perceived the secondary heating to be cheaper, more flexible in just heating one space or it brought emotional comfort or aesthetic appeal. ❄️ Use of secondary heating appears to coincide with wider peak demand for electricity, being more common in Winter evenings between 5-10pm. 📊 Participants were not considering reducing their use of secondary heating. This suggests a weak starting point for behaviour change, as it implies that motivation is low. 📉 There was an indication that heat pumps may reduce usage of secondary heating in households that prioritise keeping warm and flexibility.

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Final approval of the North West Shelf extension is not surprising. Some gas is needed for the transition, but an extension to 2070 does not align with a decarbonised future. Places and ancient culture heritage are more important than Woodside’s profits.

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Bristol is not expected to meet 2030 net zero targets. A disappointing headline, but not a surprising one. It’s a common headline when ambitious climate goals are set without the detailed plans, funding, or accountability needed to actually reach them. That said, there is progress to be proud of: 🌳 Bristol’s emissions per head have been lower than similar UK cities for nearly 20 years 🌳 Emissions are continuing to fall faster than the national average What stood out to me in the article published yesterday was “People in Hartcliffe and produced on average 36% fewer emissions than those in Redland.” It’s a clear reminder of the link between affluence and carbon consumption. Communities with the lowest emissions are frequently the most vulnerable to the consequences. We need to bring climate justice into every conversation about sustainability. With the UK’s legal target of net zero by 2050, there’s still a long (loooong) way to go. But we need to keep pushing for local action, honest reporting, and real community engagement. #Bristol #GreenCapital #NetZero Link to article in the comments 📰

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Yesterday, our CEO, Caroline Bragg, joined Ian Collins on TalkTV during the Conservative Party Conference to discuss recent comments around net zero, including Kemi Badenoch’s suggestion to repeal the Climate Change Act. Recent shocks such as the crisis in Ukraine saw energy bills rise by 74% and are a stark reminder of the volatility of our energy system. As Caroline highlighted the big question is protecting people from this volatility in the future and providing a stable environment for the long-term investment required during the transition to net zero. The Act has given businesses the stability to plan, invest and innovate in decarbonisation. 🏭 From energy security to global competitiveness, it is crucial that we maintain course for net zero without undermining progress.

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🎓 Hats off to the University of West London for their outstanding commitment to sustainability, and for calculating their first-ever in-house carbon footprint with SWEEP As one of the UK's top 30 universities, UWL has set ambitious #decarbonization targets: 🎯 #NetZero in Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 🎯 Net zero for Scope 3 by 2040 Using Sweep's platform, they successfully produced their first-ever in-house carbon footprint "with ease" and earned praise from external auditors for report quality and transparency 🏆 "Sweep's intuitive interface and comprehensive features allowed us to calculate our first ever in-house carbon footprint with ease. The detailed reports and planning tools have empowered us to identify areas for improvement," says Claire Willitts MSc MRICS, Pro Vice Chancellor (Property, Accommodation & Sustainability) 🏫 Leading by example in higher education #sustainability 📖 Find out more about University of West London’s Sweep journey here: https://lnkd.in/eRkfbV7r #Sustainability #NetZero #HigherEducation Dan Skelton | Grace Hunter (Ashman) | Rachel Delacour | Freddie House | Ryan Fagan | Kayleigh Potter

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“Enough to power 5.2mn homes for a year, or the London Underground for more than a decade.” Fab article in the Financial Times today on the record solar generation in Great Britain this year so far👇🏻 https://lnkd.in/eQdybtMT

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There is so much good stuff being done by social housing providers in the low-energy / low-carbon-emission field. So I was delighted to hear more about one example from Tony Hopkin, Head of Construction, Quality and Innovation for Midland Heart. Tony, Beth, and Scott were kind enough to take the time to show staff from the Church Development Agency Limited around their Elevetham Road scheme. The project is a collaboration between product suppliers, academic researchers from Birmingham City University, specialist contractors, architects, a local building contractor, and the Building Alliance. The site comprises 12 maisonettes with technology designed to minimise carbon emissions and significantly lower energy costs for tenants - and it looks great too! Now, if you’re thinking, "This is old news, that scheme was completed years ago", you’d be correct. However, the CDA team was as keen to hear about the post-occupation findings as they were about the technology deployed in the homes. And for me, one of the most interesting parts of the day’s discussion centred around what information should be given to tenants about the technology in their home, in what format, and how often this should be revisited. Midland Heart seems to have covered all bases in terms of ensuring tenants have the information they need, in a format that suits them best, at a time that is most useful to them. They didn’t get it all right from the start, but have fine-tuned their approach for this and future schemes. I’m incredibly grateful to the team for such an informative (and surprisingly fun!) afternoon. #netzero #lowcarbon #energyeffiency #socialhousing #innovation

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