The government’s new Community Ownership Fund can support the journey to Net Zero

Posted on July 21, 2021July 28, 2021 by Phil Beardmore

Are you looking to take over a neglected building or asset into community ownership? Is it leaking heat and wasting energy and money like the building in the picture?

The government’s Community Ownership Fund was announced in July 2021. It has been set up to help communities take ownership of assets and amenities at risk of closure, and will run for four years.

Interestingly on the subject of Environmental Sustainability, the fund’s prospectus says that “We welcome projects that can support the journey to net zero and incorporate low or zero carbon approaches. We also welcome projects which consider their impact on the natural environment and appropriate mitigations.”

This means the Fund could potentially support:

energy saving measures in buildings
renewable energy installations such as solar, heat pumps, wind turbines.

If you’re bidding to the Community Ownership Fund and are interested in making your community ownership project low carbon, then please contact me to see how I can help you. I have lots of experience of working with community-owned buildings on energy saving, renewable energy and water saving.

Homeworking – does it increase or decrease the environmental impact of your business?

Posted on April 28, 2021April 28, 2021 by Phil Beardmore

Is working from home good or bad for the environmental impact of your business?

The short answer is … it depends. It depends on factors such as:

the comparative energy efficiency of your business building, and the homes of your staff;
the way in which heating controls are used in your business building, and in the homes of your staff;
what mode of transport employees use to commute to work, and how far they travel.

Watch this video on YouTube

Some businesses could actually find that their environmental impact increases because of remote working. Even if their employees are travelling less … even if they aren’t using heat and power in their office … the greenhouse gas emissions from their staff’s homes could cause a net increase in the environmental impact of your business.

I am now using a piece of software that means I can do a bespoke calculation for your business.

This means that I can help you to work out a meaningful answer to this dilemma for your business, and most importantly, give you expert advice on what to do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, whether your employees are working from your premises, remotely, or a mixture of both.

The good news is that this service is included in my business energy advice packages, so you don’t have to pay the earth, to save the earth.

Tell me what makes your business great, and we will work together to make it greener and more profitable.

About me

Grinning at Moor Street Station

I am the West Midlands’ leading expert in:

energy saving
renewable energy
procurement of energy saving products
water saving.

My customers include householders, landlords, public bodies, small businesses, charities and coops.

I am independent and impartial.

Phil Beardmore, FRSA AIEMA.

CONTACT ME NOW

TESTIMONIALS

Nathalie Rush

Phil is truly an expert in his field. I can understand why most people around the West Midlands choose to go to Phil for energy-saving consultancy. Phil has a thorough understanding of energy conservation and sustainable living. Would highly recommend. Nathalie Rush, MD, Six Star Insulation.

Claire Spencer

His knowledge of community-led sustainability is second to none, and his perspective on local and national issues is invaluable to us. He adds value, and is everything a good consultant should be, and I would recommend him to anyone in our field Claire Spencer, Sustainable Moseley.

Rosemary Coyne

It has been hugely inspiring to work with Phil. While others talk, Phil gets on and does it. Rosemary Coyne, Coordinator, Sustainable Housing Action Partnership

Ray Walker

In working with Phil I have been impressed by his level of knowledge and enthusiasm. He has a vast array of contacts and has brought us into contact with other stakeholder in the energy business that would have been much more difficult to achieve without him. I am also struck by his commitment to supporting communities and the most vulnerable client groups.

Ray Walker, Disability Resource Centre

Cllr Karen McCarthy

Phil Beardmore has a long association with Localise West Midlands and is a valued associate on environmental, housing and fuel poverty projects.

He works with us both as an individual practitioner and leading multi-disciplinary teams on larger projects, delivering high quality results on time and on budget.

Cllr Karen McCarthy, Localise West Midlands

Membership of the AECB – Association of Environmentally Conscious Buildings – enables me to keep my skills up to date

making birmingham green

I won a Making Birmingham Greener Award for Outstanding Personal Achievement.

green leader

I was nominated twice by my peers as one of the top Green Leaders in the West Midlands

Are you a public sector body who wants to reduce their energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions?

Posted on March 23, 2021March 23, 2021 by Phil Beardmore

Are you a school, academy, NHS trust, university, college, nursery or other public body?
Do you have a fossil-fuel based heating system that is coming to the end of its useful life?

If so, then you may be eligible to apply for grant funding to reduce your energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Eligible costs under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme include a contribution towards capital works, enabling works, and some consultancy costs.

A typical project might include installing a heat pump in a public sector building, with associated works such as insulation, heating controls, LED lighting and lighting controls, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.

What I can do to help you

I can help you with:

deciding which are the most cost-effective energy saving measures for your public sector building
writing your application to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
choosing suppliers of energy saving measures and suppliers
demonstrating the greenhouse gas emissions savings to the funder.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is open for applications from 7th April 2021 and is expected to be quickly over-subscribed. If you would like me to help you with your energy saving project then contact me now for a conversation about what you need from me.