ENERGY HUNTER PROGRAMME, NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA

The Energy Hunter program officially concluded on the 29 May 2015. The program, which ran from November 2012 – May 2015, was extremely successful. During this time the Energy Hunter team at Newcastle City Council:

• Assisted 350 small and medium-sized businesses to reduce electricity consumption and become more energy efficient
• Conducted 350+ face-to-face business support site visits
• Delivered 30 energy efficiency educational workshops attended by 324 participants
• Developed a range of tools to support businesses including:

• 10 business case studies
• Lighting and solar procurement templates and evaluation matrice

– See more at: http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/environment/energy_hunter#sthash.VyHnqXyJ.dpuf

The Mayor of AKHALTSIKHE, Giorgi Kopadze, has signed the Covenant of Mayors pledge on behalf of the City. The Covenant outlines how it intends to reach its CO2 reduction target by 2020. It defines the activities and measures set up to achieve the targets, together with time frames and assigned responsibilities.One part of this covenant has already been funded and implemented by Akhaltsikhe City Hall in that six central streets of Akhaltsikhe have new street lights that contribute 35-40% reduction of electricity and also will reduce CO2. Contact Levan Mikaberidze – levani@hotmail.com

The Covenant of Mayors is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources on their territories.  http://www.covenantofmayors.eu/index_en.html

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE SCIENCE CITY SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – https://www.mottmac.com/releases/newcastle-science-central-achieves-ceequal-excellent-award

http://www.newcastlesciencecity.com/

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE’S GREEN AWARD – http://www.forumforthefuture.org/project/sustainable-cities-index/overview

CYCLING AMBITIONS – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CITY COUNCIL

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/multi-million-pound-cash-boost-cycling-5699564

THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CITY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE DECLARATION
Newcastle City Council resolves to reaffirm its commitment to tackle climate change and work with residents and partners to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 34% (from 1990 levels) by 2020. We aim to provide significant employment opportunities for Newcastle’s residents, reduce energy bills and boost the local economy.
As a Council we will provide leadership by:
• Reducing our own carbon emissions from our buildings, services, transport fleet and staff travel.
• Meeting 20% of our electricity demands by low carbon energy sources by 2020
• Facilitating new ways of working which avoid the need to bring a private car to work and encourage more of our staff to cycle and walk to work
• Using low carbon technologies across our fleet of vehicles
• Giving all our children the opportunity to learn about the causes and impacts of climate change and encourage them to take positive action to reduce carbon emissions and help create sustainable local communities
• Seeking to reduce domestic waste by 15% and increasing domestic waste recycling to 55% by 2020
• Ensuring all new Council homes are built to the zero carbon standard from 2016
• Ensuring that the Council’s housing stock has adequate heating and insulation and supporting our residents to reduce their energy use
We are fortunate to have leading-edge universities, strong private sector partners and national leaders in delivery of sustainability projects as partners. We will strongly encourage the interaction between academic research, business developments, and public service delivery. With partners, we will also aim to:
• Ensure that every home that can benefit from cavity and loft insulation has been treated by 2015.
• Deliver low carbon energy solutions across the city including community based energy schemes, solid wall insulation and renewable energy generation.
• Support the city’s businesses in reducing their carbon emissions by 34% by 2020
• Do all we can to support “green collar” jobs in sectors like marine and offshore technology.
• Develop the Science Central site as the focal point for applied research and practice by the public and private sectors across the whole sustainability field
• Eradicate fuel poverty as far as is practicable by 2016 by both improving energy efficiency and increasing household incomes
• Support work with the residents to reduce their energy consumption by 10% through behavioural change and other low cost measures
• Support the development and introduction of electric vehicles across the North East, including the expansion of charging points powered by renewable energy where practicable.
• Promote lower carbon methods of travel, aiming for a 4% reduction in fuel use through walking, cycling and better use of public transport by 2020
• Stimulate and encourage the production and consumption of locally grown products and services”