The ambitious programme to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from the Council’s public buildings and Council housing, as well as empowering residents and businesses across the district to do the same.

‘Low-cost low carbon energy across the district’, is a strategic priority for Warwick District Council, with a focus on reducing both costs and carbon emissions associated with energy in buildings. The programme has four strands; ‘Public Buildings’, ‘Council Housing’, ‘Helping others with retrofit’ and ‘Zero Carbon developments’ with work to start immediately on:

• The delivery of rooftop solar and low energy lighting in a number of Council owned buildings
• Identifying public buildings with the highest carbon emissions with potential to benefit from decarbonisation measures
• Establishing and agreeing a decarbonisation and energy reduction programme for the District Council’s housing stock
• Bringing forward proposals to deliver high quality, net zero carbon affordable housing on Council owned sites
• Creating a programme to enable householders and businesses to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs

Councillor Lowell Williams, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change commented: “Reducing the carbon footprint of all buildings is a key priority identified in the Council’s corporate strategy. We are therefore proud to launch this new and focused delivery framework, demonstrating by our actions that we are serious about addressing carbon emissions associated with the use of energy in all buildings and are proactive in our efforts to reduce energy bills for all residents and businesses.

"Over the coming years our plans will extend to undertaking further retrofit works to our own public buildings, including more complex measures like replacement heating systems and increasing renewable energy generation.

"We will also expand the adoption of our own Net Zero definition for all new housing developments and improve awareness and take up of home energy support, exploring innovative approaches to make it easier for all in our district to reduce their energy needs.”