Leicestershire, UK, 14 January 2014 - Aerial mapping company Bluesky has been awarded contracts to map heat loss across towns and cities covering around 10 per cent of the population. Using specialist thermal sensors mounted on survey aircraft Bluesky accurately records heat loss from homes and businesses. Working with Local Authorities, property owners and energy companies the colour-coded thermal maps are matched against addresses to give accurate and up to date information to tackle fuel poverty, carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. Bluesky thermal maps have also been used to identify illegal dwellings – known as beds in sheds, and even uncover cannabis factories.
“At a time when energy usage and fuel poverty are once again top of the political agenda and front page news, it is essential that those who are charged with protecting the most vulnerable in society are armed with the information they need,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky International. “Thermal survey data clearly shows households that differ from adjacent properties. Most often these are shown as ‘hot spots’ and can be explained by poor insulation however unduly ‘cold’ properties are also of concern as these households may be experiencing fuel poverty where they simply cannot afford to switch on the heating. Combining the thermal data with demographic and other datasets can highlight properties where this may be the case.”
Latest News
Bluesky to map energy wastage from homes across Britain’s cities
- 16 January 2014
CIWEM critical of letter announcing end to Defra funding
- 19 December 2013
The letter, sent to all English local authorities by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lord de Mauley, states that all funding for the scheme will cease from 1 April 2017; a move which has been sharply criticised by a number of experts.
Lord de Mauley’s letter held up the publication of revised Part 2A statutory guidance in April 2012 as justification for the announcement: “This has resulted in a more stringent risk-based approach to identifying and remediating contaminated land. Given these changes, Defra will no longer be supporting the costs of investigating and remediating contaminated land under Part 2A through the Contaminated Land Capital Grants Scheme”.
WRAP’s Circular Economy
- 22 November 2013
Dr Liz Goodwin, the Chief Executive of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP, the Government’s waste and resources agency) has outlined the benefits that the EU could claim in 2020 through the adoption of a resource efficient circular economy. In short, these benefits include an improved trade balance and an increase in jobs.
A circular economy is the term used for an industrial economy that acts in an environmentally restorative way. WRAP describe the circular economy as a place ‘in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and material at the end of each service life’.
Funding initiatives will help promote ‘green’ farming
- 22 November 2013
On 7 November the Soil Association announced two new funding competitions to support innovative research in sustainable agriculture, as part of the Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme.
Farmers and growers can apply directly for £2,000 of investment to test ideas to tackle real problems in farming on their own farm through a ‘field lab’. Field labs bring a small group of likeminded farmers together to solve a problem, adapting an approach pioneered in developing countries that supports practical DIY research by farmers. Up to 15 winners will receive £500 cash towards their time and costs, and at least £1,500 of ‘in-kind’ support from an expert researcher and facilitator.
Green Achiever
- 20 November 2013
Green Achievers Lead The Way
Those in the construction sector know that it is increasingly being looked at to 'lead the way' in offering and delivering the green agenda. From architects to decorators, energy advisers, solar installers, builders and turf suppliers - each can make a difference in environmental performance. Increasingly too, each is also being expected to show how they are considering environmental impacts in their own business operations as well as in the products they deliver.
So what can businesses in this sector do - not only to meet these changing demands but also to take advantage of them? First is the importance of keeping up to date with the commercial opportunities and regulatory environmental requirements. For civil engineers this could mean being aware of CEEQUAL and its requirements.
These are often being built into contractual terms putting specific obligations on architects, designers and builders in areas such as materials choice, waste management and transport for example.
More broadly there is the need to keep up to date with the environmental regulation framework and general good practices. Having done all that there it's surprising how many companies don't really shout about their environmental credentials to enable their customers and potential customers to tell the difference between those companies that are really doing something from the ‘greenwash' ones.
There are numerous environmental accreditation options out there, eg. ISO14001 or BS8555 or EMAS with an emphasis on developing and maintaining an effective environmental management system.
For those wishing to concentrate more on how they work in practice rather than on underlying procedures and policies, there is the Green Achiever Scheme. This scheme has been specifically designed to support businesses in gaining recognition for their current good practices while also driving forward on-going improvements.
The Green Achiever scheme works with businesses through a series of ascending accreditation levels. Individual companies decide what is appropriate for them at any specific point in time and this may be influenced by supply chain demands, internal operational changes being made or regulatory obligations. Importantly at all levels (Registration, Self-assessment, Silver and Gold) members receive regular information about environmental good practices and regulation updates through fortnightly newsletters, support in ensuring they understand and are compliant with legal obligations and have access to the appropriate level logo for ensuring stakeholders are aware of their environmental achievements. At the higher levels members also receive support in developing environmental policies for use in tenders and in how to make improvements that can reduce operating costs also.
At any level, businesses will feature in the online public business directory enabling potential customers to see which businesses are really green.
For many smaller companies having a full environmental management system is not relevant for how they work in practice on a day-to-day basis but this does not stop them from operating in an environmentally aware way. The design of the Green Achiever Awards enables these businesses to gain the due recognition for their achievements.
For others with an EMS in place, having an opportunity to review both the systems and the practical day-to-day operations actually works well in parallel and some have used the Green Achiever Silver/Gold audit process as an initial launch for working towards ISO14001.
Whatever accreditation scheme or support process businesses choose the important factors remain the same – achieving competitive advantage and operating in a way that Meets their legal obligations; Reduces their impact on the environment in terms of the resources they use, the energy and water consumed or the amount of waste produced; Prevents pollution; and overall keeps their environmental impacts as low as is possible.
In the busy construction sector differentiating factors are especially important for marketing. Having credibility behind 'green' claims makes a difference where there are contracts to be won and a demonstration of an environmental policy may give businesses that winning edge. Customers, be they individual householders or large-scale commercial clients, are becoming increasingly discerning where environmental issues are concerned. Those businesses that are addressing their own operational impacts are the ones that are often being seen as offering an added value in their products. Research conducted by Lloyds TSB Commercial found that 91% of small businesses had taken steps to be more environmentally sustainable and 1/3 had seen growth on the back of these initiatives. Clearly, commercial and environmental progress is increasingly being recognised as being on the same page.
The high profile construction sector is right up there when it comes to the potential to 'Make a Difference'. If you're doing something – get the recognition for it by being accredited.
If you're not doing something but want to know where to start then get advice – the Green Achiever Scheme can help or support in either scenario.
WYG’s Chief Executive wins prestigious award
- 18 November 2013
WYG Chief Executive Officer, Paul Hamer is celebrating after picking up the Association for Consultancy and Engineering’s Sterling Award on Wednesday night (13 November) at ACE’s European CEO of the Year Awards at The Dorchester in London.
The award was presented by Huw Edwards, BAFTA award winner, and Sir John Armitt, former Head of ODA and formed part of the ACE Centenary Gala Dinner, celebrating 100 years of consultancy and engineering excellence.
Prestigious awards for WYG in Poland
- 01 November 2013
WYG is celebrating in Poland after picking up not one but two prestigious awards.
Last month saw WYG receive the title of ‘Ambassador of the Polish Economy 2013’ in the ‘Partner of foreign companies’ category at the fifth annual Business Centre Club awards.
The title of ambassador is awarded to Polish companies that promote Poland in the international arena as a reliable business partner, contribute to the economic development of the country and build credibility and trust in Poland and Polish people.
The future is green for Birmingham conference venue
- 28 October 2013
One of Birmingham’s greenest venues is celebrating today after maintaining a British Standard accolade for their environmental credentials.
Conference Aston, Birmingham city centre’s premier conference, hotel and event venue, has had its ISO14001 accreditation reaffirmed following the refurbishment of 53 bedrooms as part of a £5.4m redevelopment of the Aston University site.
Merseyside and Halton crowned national waste champions
- 23 October 2013
A local government waste partnership has scooped a top accolade at a national awards ceremony for helping to cut household waste levels on Merseyside and Halton.
The Merseyside and Halton Waste Partnership, which consists of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral councils, picked up the prize at the LARAC* Celebration Awards 2013.