News stories of the month
The Sector Skills Council for the places where we live and work
A
series of low carbon skills training projects is being launched for staff in
commercial and domestic property, including facilities managers, property and energy managers, energy assessors and suppliers.
Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for facilities management, housing, property and planning, is organising the events to help employers meet tough new targets on cutting carbon through skills training. Property accounts for 47% of the
UK’s carbon emissions and the Government is committed to reducing these levels by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The Government’s Green Deal is set to overhaul the energy efficiency of homes and small businesses. Staff with the right technical know-how will be essential to ensure its success.
“New skills, knowledge and understanding of green technologies and long term sustainability issues are
increasingly in demand,” said Richard Beamish, Chief Executive of Asset Skills. “Tighter building regulations are improving the energy efficiency on new buildings, yet staff need to know how to maintain them in an environmentally friendly way. With existing buildings, efficient management and knowledge are crucial components in helping the built environment industry meet these targets.”
The low carbon training programme is being delivered through the new Asset Skills Virtual Academy to help prepare employers for the challenge. It includes: 1)Low Carbon Training Workshops (as part of Continuing Professional Development) – Three low carbon training workshops held in South West England.
2)Energy Advicefor Homes –A new six month course in Home
Energy Advice and Renewable Technologies.
3)New qualification in Commercial Energy Advice– Asset Skills is developing a new Level 4 qualification in Commercial Energy Advice.
4)Wales: Home and Commercial Energy Advice– Asset Skills is to pilot new energy advice qualifications in domestic and commercial property.
5)Northern Ireland: Home Energy Advice – Asset Skills is to pilot new energy advice qualifications in property.
6)Low carbon skills in Scotland – Funding for employers to train staff in skills that will help them meet carbon reduction targets.
To register, visit
www.assetskills.org/Academy/ Events/
LowCarbonEvent.aspx or contact Philip Stott at
pstott@assetskills.org or call 01392 456 825.
NEW GUIDE – FIRST SPARK IN ENERGY REVOLUTION
A
new guide on CHP and district heating, is set to become the ‘how to manual’ for community groups, councils and developers, interested in generating their own energy and slashing bills in the process.
Community Energy - planning, development and delivery, a Combined Heat & Power Association (CHPA), LDA Design and Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA) guide, outlines a straightforward step- by-step approach to the challenge of creating a successful and efficient community energy scheme. Hundreds of pioneering groups across the UK are already showing how it can be done. But thousands of others are still in the dark, wondering how to get started. The guide has been created to help steer them
34| SUSTAINABLE FM | NOVEMBER 2010
through the process to success, allowing them to play a full role in the community energy revolution taking root across the country.
The guide focuses on the stages of development – rather than specific technology options – to make sure, whichever opportunity is pursued, it is delivered for optimum benefit. It has also been authored to ensure it is of relevance for a wide ranging audience including sustainability and energy officers, through to planners and community groups, alongside others such as property developers and housing associations. It is designed to assist potential energy project developers to: • Translate energy opportunities into financially viable and deliverable low-carbon projects
• Understand the stages of
developing an energy project and who is involved along the way
• Identify the most appropriate and best fit business and financial models for their scheme
• Understand, create or influence energy maps for use as a resource to inform projects, master plans or development plans
• Gain an understanding of energy use in buildings and
developments and a range of energy sources that may be at their disposal
The guide is sponsored by the
HCA, Cooperative Bank, ENER-G, Energy Saving Trust, E.ON, Dalkia, Renewables East, Arup and Vital Energi. See
www.chpa.co.uk to download a copy of the guide.
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