Integrated Energy Strategy
This is required on the basis that we cannot have genuinely sustainable buildings without sustainable energy supply systems. This would pull together and extend currently somewhat disjointed work on energy issues, that in particular is missing out proactive work to encourage local sustainable supply. It would have two main focuses:
- Reducing energy demand in domestic, institutional and private sectors, and would be closely related to HECA work on the existing housing stock, as well as involving work with major energy users locally;
- A strategy to shift local supply to renewable source: for example via local Energy Service Companies (ESCo’s), small and medium Combined Heat and Power schemes (CHP), etc.
- The DETR’s Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice which states very unequivocally that there is an important role for planners in encouraging CHP in Chapter 5:
"The areas in which planners can be particularly influential are combined heat and power schemes (CHP), site layout and, to a limited degree, building design. With CHP, by using waste heat to heat buildings, fuel efficiency can be increased to 70-90% compared to 30-50% with conventional generation. It therefore has the potential to deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and in energy costs where suitable heat loads exist."
- Significant Government support via the Energy Savings Trust for feasibility studies into the viability of local CHP schemes and other local renewable energy projects, particularly where major housing developments are taking place. This scheme, which has some parallels to the DETR’s free Design Advice scheme managed by the BRE, uses approved and appropriately experienced consultants such as ESD (Energy for Sustainable Development - Error! Bookmark not defined. ) to undertake such assessments, in order that the quality of the conclusion and recommendations is guaranteed.