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Green Projects Grant, Loan, Award, and Tax Information for Businesses in one Click
I have just been introduced to this rather handy website, Green Grants Machine, which is a search facility for up to date “green” projects funding information for UK businesses.
Funding scheme can have restrictions upon them, such as location, sector, industry, size of business, and the type of project. The search tool addresses these criteria first and then lists the different grant, loan, award, and tax schemes currently available in the UK which match. The finer details, supporting documents, and contact information are also available and you can also save your search results.
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- Agriculture, Business, Construction, Food Manufacture, Opportunities, Uncategorized
The Carbon Show 2011 – time to evolve?
The 2011 Carbon Show took place in late October beneath the vaulted ceilings of the old Royal Agricultural Hall (or “The Aggie” as it was known by locals) – now resplendent as the Business Design Centre. A hardened posse of Clear About Carbon delegates made the journey to the capital to learn more of the event’s outcomes: present were the (ever-sartorially floral) Paul Holmes from the Eden Project along with Fernando Correia and Simon Ramsay from the University of Exeter Business School.
Source: The Carbon Show, October 2011
As in previous years, the Show provided a varied programme of seminars, exhibitor sessions and networking opportunities for those working within the industry or searching for the most up-to-date information. General feeling seemed to concur, however, that this year’s attendance was considerably lower than in previous years, and there was much discussion amongst the stands on what the reasons for such a lower turnout might be. Economics would be the obvious response but other important events have occurred over the past twelve months that have most certainly played a role. Last year, for example, the Show opened ahead of the commencement of the Carbon Reduction Commitment, and there was a consequent rush from organisations trying to understand its implications and the tools available to address it.
Turn the clock back twelve months from 2011 and you would also have felt a distinct policy buzz on issues of carbon emissions and climate change, engendered by the previous Labour government and which seemed, at the time, set to amplify when the new Tory PM announced his intentions to make this ‘the greenest Government ever’ (www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/14/cameron-wants-greenest-government-ever). Since that announcement, however, all sorts of changes have taken place at policy level. The Carbon Reduction Commitment was changed from a competitive to a mandatory scheme; the rules regarding the Feed-in Tariffs have been altered; support for renewable energy has been reduced; the Sustainable Development Commission has been scrapped. Even references to carbon reduction and climate change have all but disappeared from Government-speak at higher levels. Perhaps predictably, only Chris Huhne (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change) seems to keep this subject in the public and policy-makers’ eye, when in the previous government there wasn’t an official speech which didn’t mention Britain’s green ambitions.
Whatever the reasons, there was a feeling was that the sense of urgency seemed to have disappeared from the Carbon Show this year. Was that a reflection of the Government’s silence on this issue? Maybe it was pure economics. Or maybe whatever information people needed in terms of available tools and resources for carbon management, climate finance, green technologies and the like had already been obtained in previous years. Perhaps the Carbon Show, in this guise, has already satisfied the sector’s requirements, and the 2011 Show did not contain anything really new to capture people’s attention – maybe whoever needs carbon services is already being taken care of. Indeed, this is a services market that is quickly becoming saturated and, if anything, the implication was that we can expect this industry to consolidate significantly over the next few years.
This last point highlights the risky situation that any organisations which haven’t been addressing the carbon issue may find themselves in. As the market matures and consolidates – and the major players standardise their carbon management approaches – any businesses not keeping up with this shift will find themselves swiftly consigned to the role of peripheral players, with all the implications this can have for business successes and opportunities. Cornwall is already at the geographical (and in many cases economic) edge of the UK and the region’s businesses should have no enthusiasm at all in being also located on the margins of the carbon agenda. Just as the old Aggie has evolved to become a shiny commercial centre, so the Carbon Show will need to evolve if it is to remain pertinent for the ‘big players’. And so projects like Clear About Carbon will become even more vital in hastening the adaptation process of Cornish organisations if they are to keep pace with this new business reality.
- Categories:
- Business, Carbon Credits, Carbon footprint, Construction, Events, Policy, Procurement, Public sector
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- business, carbon footprint, Carbon Show, events, policy
Eden co-hosts Construction in the Green Economy conference
Industry experts from the south west are gathering at Eden on 11 May for a special conference on sustainable construction.
The Institution of Civil Engineers event focuses on how the sector can deliver building projects sustainably within the context of climate change legislation and financial constraints. Discussions will centre on what the government’s green agenda means for engineers, designers and constructors, as well as look at practical ways to gain funding and to minimise energy and materials.
There’ll also be an opportunity to hear from Eden experts on what we’ve learnt over the last decade about sustainable construction [right].
One of the speakers, Caron Thompson, who led Eden’s pioneering regeneration work at White River Place in St Austell, says: ‘One of Eden’s aims as a leader in the field of sustainable construction is to share the learning from our projects both on and off site and to stimulate and encourage discussion from other practitioners in the industry.
‘The ICE conference has an exciting range of speakers that offers the opportunity for participants to consider how inspiration and innovation, backed with an understanding of the practicalities of delivering a project, can work together as a driver for more sustainable projects.’
Key speakers include representatives from CIRIA, Network Rail and North Devon Homes, and the day will culminate in a guided tour around the Eden site.
The Construction in the Green Economy conference takes place on Wednesday 11 May from 9.30–4.00 at the Eden Project, Cornwall. The cost of the day is £125 excluding VAT per delegate, and will include the opportunity of a guided tour around Eden Project site. To find out more about the conference visit the ICE website. To book a place and for any enquiries please contact Charlotte Snooks on 01752 896749 or email charlotte.snooks@ice.org.uk
Check out how Eden has built its iconic, sustainable buildings.
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- Business, Carbon footprint, Construction, Events, Procurement, Public sector
- Tag:
- Construction
Green Build shaping up for this weekend
Cornwall’s first sustainable construction event, where Clear About Carbon will run several seminars, is shaping up nicely, with several new exhibitors confirmed.
- Visitors will be able to step inside and take a look around the beautiful Studio Ark (right), a compact eco building made of timber made by local company Pioneer Environmental Buldings.
- RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) will be offering free Ask an Architect sessions on their stand, where members of the public can ask about reconfiguring their home to maximise space, add value or introduce energy- and money-saving measures. Homeowners are encouraged to bring along any drawings they have.
- There’ll also be a fully charged electric car onsite.
Visitors can also find out about green building options, renewable energy and careers in Cornwall during the two days, through:
- The Renewable Energy Street: Information on solar hot water, solar electricity, biomass boilers, wind power systems and heat pump options – plus material on the Feed in Tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentive.
- An exhibition of local construction suppliers that have adapted their operations to meet the growing green building market. Information on training and career development opportunities in the renewable sector throughout the country.
- Free seminars exploring issues such as low-impact building and recycled building materials, living roofs, waste minimisation and retrofitting. These are aimed at construction industry delegates on the Friday, while Saturday’s seminars will be of interest to the general public.
Find out more about the event programme on the Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust website, where you should also register to get free entry to Green Build, to take part in Friday’s seminars for the construction industry, or to book an Ask an Architect session.
- Categories:
- Business, Carbon footprint, Construction, Events, Procurement, Public sector, waste
- Tags:
- business, Construction, events, public sector, recycling