Dorset Council’s efforts to fit energy saving measures in its buildings are helping keep it on track to become a carbon neutral council by 2040, says new report.
According to a council report published this week, carbon emissions from council owned buildings have reduced by over 20 per cent in just one year thanks to a major retrofit programme.
The programme, which was funded by the government, saw measures like heat pumps, solar panels and low-energy lighting installed in over 200 council owned buildings, including schools, libraries and leisure centres. Combined, this work has drastically cut energy use and costs for the council and its partners, with an estimated saving of over £1million a year.
The report, which monitors the progress Dorset Council is making towards its climate goals, shows that emissions from other areas of the council have also reduced since monitoring began, and it is making good overall progress towards its 2040 target.
Overall, the council has reduced its carbon footprint by 27% since it declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019. In the past year progress has been slower than previous years, but according to the report this was to be expected and reflects the significant drop in carbon emissions recorded globally during the pandemic.
However, the report does highlight that the council’s efforts will need to be strengthened in areas like travel and post pandemic behaviours will need to be locked-in if it is to remain on track to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:
“It is really encouraging to see that the council has continued to reduce carbon emissions and avoided a bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.
“But if we are to remain on track, it is critical that we maintain and strengthen efforts to drive down emissions both within the council and across the wider county.
“This recent report clearly shows that taking steps now to cut emissions is not only the right thing to do for our planet, but also makes good financial sense.
“I strongly urge residents who haven’t already done so to contact our Healthy Homes Dorset programme to see what support is available to help them take similar steps in their homes.”
National data shows that emissions across the wider Dorset Council area have reduced overall since 2019, but the last reporting year saw them begin to rise again. Similar rises have been seen across the country, as patterns of travel and economic activity return to normal post pandemic.
The report highlights the significant challenge that lies ahead for Dorset in becoming a carbon neutral county by 2050 and the critical role the council will play in helping residents, communities and organisations transition to a net zero future.
The council’s Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Progress Report can be read in full here. More information on what the council is doing to tackle climate change and improve nature and the steps residents can take can be found on the Dorset Council website.
For more information on the support available to help households reduce emissions and lower energy bills, residents should visit the Healthy Homes Dorset website.
Three aspects are not touched upon in this report, and in fact don’t appear anywhere:
How much have the heat pumps, solar panels and low-energy lighting cost? Has this been included in the projected estimated saving of over £1million a year?
What is the carbon footprint of all the manufacturing, transportation, and installation of these upgrades – how will that affect the claim to remain on track to become carbon neutral by 2040?
With the average age (failure point) of solar panels at 25 years, by 2040 we will be close to being back at square one!
Hi Jeff, the measures mentioned in the article and report were funded through a £19m grant from government. You can find out more about the funding and what it paid for here.
All new products have some form of carbon footprint associated with their manufacture, transportation, installation etc. But unlike many other products, carbon saving technologies have the added benefit of saving more emissions throughout their life than were emitted in making, transporting, and installing them.
The council is currently working towards better understanding the carbon footprint of all items we purchase, so we can work with suppliers to help reduce supply chain emissions.
Regarding your point on the average lifespan of solar panels, we would have to disagree about being back where we started by 2040. Over the next 25 years, the solar panels installed as part of this project are expected to save around 5,000,000 kilowatts of electricity and over 1,000 tonnes of carbon emissions (based on current emissions from the grid) per year.
We hope we’ve covered your points, but if you have any questions on this project please get in touch with our climate team by emailing climate@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
Why has the Council agreed to demolishing the old Weymouth Council offices (North Quay) thus releasing huge amounts of EMBODIED carbon – and this for a car park ! Surely some use could be found for this large building ? Cheaper to convert than provide places for asylum seekers on a barge ! Speak to the Home Office !