Overview

In 2002, Woking Borough Council adopted a new Climate Change Strategy, one of the first of its kind in the UK. The Council had been committed to reducing energy use since the early 1990s, but the new Strategy set an ambitious target: to ensure that the Council's and the Borough's CO2 emissions were halved by 2050.

Woking Council was assisted in the Strategy by its ownership of Thameswey Ltd, a company that has now delivered over 20 different Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and photovoltaics (PV) projects. The Council also led a number of other climate change initiatives, including the Hoe Valley housing scheme, to reduce future flood risk and provide low energy housing, and a range of measures implemented in partnership with businesses, schools and households.

The Strategy has already had a dramatic effect on energy conservation and carbon emissions. By 2006, CO2 emissions had been reduced by 81% across the Council's estate since 1990, and a 21% reduction in CO2 emissions had been achieved Borough-wide in the same period.

» Background

Background

What action was taken?

In 2002, Woking Council adopted a comprehensive Climate ChangeStrategy – a clear, documented vision of how it would adapt to and mitigate climate change.

It has been able to lead cutting-edge projects on renewables and low carbon energy technology, primarily through the development of Thameswey Ltd (TW), an energy conservation company wholly owned by the Council.

TW owns 90% of Thameswey Energy Ltd (TEL), a company that develops energy technology and supplies low carbon and renewable energy. TEL's sustainable and renewable energy installations include:

• Woking Town Centre Combined Heat and Power (CHP) station, the first commerically-operating CHP of its kind in the UK, providing electricity, heat and chilled water services to council offices and local businesses such as the Holiday Inn Hotel

• Woking Park Fuel Cell CHP system, the UK's only commercially-operational fuel cell system
• The 'Hybrolight', a combination of solar panels and a wind turbine to power a street lighting column, saving 130kg of CO2 per annum and with a payback period of 2.4 years
• Albion Square Canopy, a state-of-the-art PV array across the entrance to Woking Station, saving 40 tonnes of CO2 per annum
• Further PV installations in various locations, saving an additional 40 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Saving energy, cutting carbon
Other climate change initiatives led by the Council include the following:

Following serious flooding around the Hoe Stream in 2000 Woking Borough Council, in partnership with the Environment Agency, commissioned a detailed study of the potential for flood defences around the worst affected areas of the Hoe Stream in Westfield.

To protect existing homes from flood risk defensive works along the Hoe Stream including easing restrictions on the river and additional compensation ponds to hold flood water until water levels have fallen and the water can be released. This will remove 200 properties from the flood plain.

The flood defences will be financed by a housing scheme in Hoe Valley. A proposed 153 homes will be built which will be powered by CHP and include PV cells and rainwater harvesting. A new community building and new football pitches will also be constructed.

This project received full council approval in February 2010 and work is expected to commence in June 2010 with most of the work expected to be completed by Summer 2011.

• Oak Tree House, a demonstration project to retrofit a conventional house with water conservation, energy and micro generation measures
• The Low Carbon Homes Programme, which will work with 1,000 households across the Borough to retrofit energy efficiency and micro generation measures by 2012
• The Winter Warmer scheme, which has provided free insulation measures to over 4,000 households with older residents
• Climate Neutral Development Guidance, a voluntary sustainability code for developers.

» The Impact

Overview «

The Impact

Tangible achievements

Woking's Climate Change Strategy includes many quantifiable successes:

51% energy consumption savings across the Council's estate (1990–2006)

81% reduction in CO2 emissions across the Council's estate (1990–2006), from 34,000 tonnes per year to approximately 6,500 tonnes per year

The council has won three awards under the Improvement and Development Agency's Beacon scheme

• 21% reduction in Borough-wide CO2 emissions (1990–2006), from 1,060,000 tonnes per year to approximately 840,000 tonnes per year
• 33% energy efficiency improvement in residential property (1996–2006)
• 5MW of renewable and low carbon electricity capacity installed
• 50% of new housing developments incorporating Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) technology.

What is special about this project?

Work on the Strategy is based on strong corporate leadership within the Council, and underpinned by cross-party political commitment. By getting its own house in order (e.g. by reducing staff energy consumption through a Staff Transport Plan) and developing a strategic approach to climate change, the Council has been able to demonstrate leadership by example.

Partnership working has also been a key aspect of Woking's success. The Strategy is monitored by a cross-party Working Group, and is subject to stakeholder consultation. An energy efficiency questionnaire distributed in 2006 – which received a 33% response rate from households in Woking – has helped ensure that planned projects are relevant and effective. The project has also benefited from TEL's links with its international partners and local businesses, and its promotion of environmental and ecological learning in schools.

» Good Practice

Background «

Good Practice

What can be learned from this project?

Woking Council's work on climate change demonstrates how local authorities can be effective in reducing carbon emissions, both in their own operations and across their community. It also shows that renewable energy technologies can play an important role in town centre renaissance, both as sources of cheap energy (e.g. CHP systems) and as iconic elements of the public realm (e.g. Albion Square Canopy).

The Climate Change Strategy illustrates some key general factors in delivering successful projects within a local authority: the role of leadership, the importance of data and monitoring, and the value of developing a clear strategy.

It also offers the following specific guidelines:

• Ensure that there is commitment to, and championing of, the issue by those at the top of the organisation

• Try to ensure that action has cross-party support

• Set initial actions that are achievable and have realistic time frames, and as you achieve them establish more demanding targets

Photovoltaic shading at the Pool In The Park

• Get your own house in order, but also involve the wider community and business sector in target setting and implementation of actions where possible

• Raise awareness that climate change initiatives can deliver a range of positive local outcomes, e.g. financial savings, social inclusion and wider environmental improvements.

» Reference

The Impact «

Reference

External links

Woking Council's Eco Strategy
Climate Neutral Development Good Practice (PDF)
More detail on related projects, eg the Albion Square Canopy, Thameswey
Demystifying Climate Change
Herald Tribune - system in England draws admirers - and skeptics
Guardian online - For Woking council, change begins at home
Guardian online - Woking shines in providing renewable energy
Beacon report on Woking Borough Council
Beacon report on Woking Council's Strategy
Beacon report on consultation and engagement of local people
Beacon report on Service Delivery
The Climate Group, Woking case study
Greenpeace, Woking case study

Contacts

Tim Lowe
Senior Policy Officer (Sustainability)
Woking Borough Council
01483 743413
tim.lowe@woking.gov.uk

Ray Morgan, Chief Executive, Woking Borough Council

Good Practice «