Initiatives
We use a wide range of initiatives to make efficiency savings
and to deliver on our policy commitments.
Green Guardians
Through our growing network of environmental staff
champions, our Green Guardians, we are encouraging good
environmental practice in every department. We now have over 320
Green Guardians in Kent County Council.
Green Guardians have helped us gather information through waste
and energy audits. They have fitted timer switches to printers,
copiers and vending machines, and reduced wasted electricity by
encouraging staff to turn equipment off at night and weekends.
Green Guardians have set up action teams within their areas to
promote and improve environment action plans.
We hold an annual Good Deeds Grow networking event to share
ideas and tackle key issues across Kent County Council.
Energy and Water Investment Fund
Since 2006 we have been working with the Carbon Trust and Salix
Finance and now have a £1 million Energy and Water Investment
Fund to finance energy and water efficiency projects. The fund
provides interest free loans and, in some cases, grants for
projects. These loans have to be paid back within five years and
the projects they fund must deliver savings in energy or water
use.
Common projects include:
- sensor lighting controls
- low or no flush urinals
- boiler controls
- insulation
- voltage optimisation technology.
The fund has also part financed renewable energy and biomass
heating projects in several Kent schools.
Currently the lifetime savings of the projects amounts to £1.1
million reduction in energy bills and 6,500 tonnes of
CO2.
A large proportion of the fund has been loaned to schools
and used for renewable energy projects.
Renewable energy projects
Since 2008 we have invested in more than 30 renewable energy projects. In doing so we have
attracted funding grants of almost £500,000 as well as expecting
income of over £900,000 from the new feed in tariffs for
electricity over the next 25 years.