Text of a speech to be given to the 25th Conference of National Energy Action at Nottingham University on 5th September 2006.
Works with a Powerpoint presentation so some of the text might seem a bit cyrptic.
01.
“Good afternoon.
“I’m Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for sustainable development and climate change. “I’ve got a slide show with lots of photos and diagrams to show what Nottingham has been doing.
“But also to say that this is a time of great opportunity to make progress on the policy issues this National Energy Action cares about.”
02. –
“Just a word on the city’s philosophy.
“We aim to get people to live, learn and work in the city.
“City living is very sustainable and a main driver for us is to tackle the issues and perceptions that deter city living.”
03.–
“Just want to run through some examples of success in terms of reputation, environment and energy.
“This is our tram.
“It’s the best in the country and saving millions of car journeys.”
04.– “We are recognised as having the best transport planning policies in the country.
“Significantly, it comes from radical political tradition in this policy area, drawn from as far back as the seventies.”
05.–
“Nottingham City Council is the eighth largest purchaser of renewable energy in the UK; the 19th largest in Europe.
“And we’re planning a 5MW turbine to serve 300 homes in the Meadows.”
06.–
“The incinerator burns nearly two-thirds of our waste – reducing land-fill; “It drives the Distributed Heating Systems serving the less well-off districts of St.Ann’s and Sneinton.
“Customers’ heating is now significantly cheaper than gas and that margin is growing.”
07. –
“On the collection of separated waste for Recycling, we’re rolling out a third bin across our housing estates;
We’re – catching up with national progress:
aiming for 27% this year”
08. – “And Nottingham has a national and international reputation on climate change.
“We are the home of British local government’s declaration to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“The Minister signs the latest version of the Nottingham Declaration today.
“And the partnership behind the Declaration is trying to get 200 councils signed up by the end of 2006 – double the number who’d signed last year.”
09. –
“Loads happened on Climate Change in July – besides it being the hottest British July on record -
The Gov’t produced an updated Energy Review;
Ministers pressed Climate Change at LGA conference;
British Gov’t organised amongst US local gov’t – I was sent to Chicago to help out;
Blair worked with California & Clinton; and
David Miliband gave a special preview of the Al Gore movie;
There is a new momentum on climate change that we have to sustain. ”
10. –
“The next drive in Nottingham includes mobilising for the Al Gore movie – “An Inconvenient Truth”.
“The Al Gore movie is worthwhile. It is worth mobilising for.
“And Nottingham City Council is mobilising for it.”
11. –
“The Al Gore movie uses this graphic that dramatically shows the impact of the heatwave in August 2003.
“Thousands died early deaths. Probably 900 in Britain.
“We have been focussed on the problems of being cold in the winter.
“We may now need a stronger focus on coaching people to keep the heat out of homes.
“And to adapt their homes.
“Especially if we want to avoid an expansion of air conditioning.”
12. –
“There is some correlation between victims of heatwave and poverty.
“And between energy inefficiency and poverty.
“The slide shows this but isn’t particularly scientific – the white hoops I’ve used to indicate the worst of the poverty in Nottingham – and the yellow hoop to indicate a waelthy area in my ward - are crude.
“A bigger factor in fuel poverty is the age of properties.
“The large, once desirable homes, built so long ago, often without an insulation cavity in the walls, often have now often been converted to flats run by private landlords.
“Private landlords who are unaware of the financial help they can get for measures to improve insulation and unaware of the new solutions .
“Students in Nottingham are often those who are going coldest during the winter months.”
13. –
“Green architecture may well gain a new profile in the forthcoming months.
“Architecture 2030 - an American idea – says focus on buildings.
“By 2030 – on current projections - 1 sixth of stock will be demolished. 3 sixths will get refurbished. Another 3 sixths will be added. Get the standards right and 6 eighths of the stock in 2030 could be carbon neutral and the CO2 emissions will fall below the required level.
“An exciting model. Gives a sense of hope. Some chance.
“The key lesson for Nottingham drawn from this idea was that we need to train our planning officers; and the architects, surveyors & commissioners that they deal with, to be aware too.”
14.–
“And it turns out a British analysis was published last year.
“The slide shows the vision of ECI’s “40% house” report and their analysis of the housing stock.
“Feels more realistic than the American model.
“Key point for me is that it has criteria for tracking progress and that’s what City Council officers are doing.”
15. –
“Here’s a progress chart for Nottingham City Homes’ housing stock.
“It uses 40% Houses’ criteria to track progress.
“The criteria have triggered some debate – particularly over SAP51 and the scale of demolition.
“But the emphasis on not using energy in the first place is good.”
16. SAY –
“A crude summary of Nottingham’s housing energy strategy is that we’ve had
the year of “cavity insulation”; and then the year of “loft insulation”;
Its improved energy efficiency by 15%
Next – we’re looking at the year of “solid wall insulation”; and a drive on helping private landlords and students.”
17. –
“Nottingham has good examples of sustainable technology being harnessed to tackle fuel poverty.
“simple energy efficiency measures contribute the most to ‘sustainability’ by reducing CO2.
“£1.2million programmes for more deprived estates such as Broxtowe, Bells Lane and Snapewood have done a lot of good – but don’t appear to make good photos.
“Local energy generation is also good –
“This is Manton Mews in the inner city
“26 households have had solar thermal installations;
“being visited by Minister today”
18. –
“Pleasant Court - 8 flats supplied with renewable electricity through a large array of photovoltaic cell panels.”
19.–
“Some more photovoltaics.”
20.–
“MHT bungalows, Broxtowe Estate – Ground Source Heat Pumps – each bungalow has its own bore hole in the front lawn.
“I understand the Queen is into this. And a number of celebrities have now followed suit!”
21. –
“My job is to help the political processes that are keeping the momentum going.
“The market is a force for change and I understand one third of British homes may have taken measures to improve energy efficiency.
“But the market cannot do it alone.
“The Gov’t has done a lot in terms of international leadership and the policy frameworks. The advertising and repeated statements are having an impact.
“We know more can be done.
“And the momentum is with us at the moment.
“Let’s keep at it to make the difference.
“Thank you for listening.”
[DRAFT; last updated 2006-09-06]
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