Water Efficiency

Anglian Water offer a  water management package to assist businesses reduce their water costs called the Rippleffect water efficiency support package.  For further information please click here.

The hosepipe ban does NOT impact on commercial customers, although some exemptions are currently under review. 

Essex and Suffolk Water also offer support to businesses.  If you believe that your business or organisation could benefit from water efficiency education, products, advice or audits please send an email to demand.planning@eswater.co.uk. An assessment will be made on a case by case basis and assistance given as deemed suitable.

Esse and Suffolk Water have NOT issued a hosepipe ban at the present time.

Low Carbon KEEP Programme

The Low Carbon KEEP programme aims to support East of England businesses to innovate and grow through Universities partnership. By improving the your internal capabilities and up skilling your workforce you can increase your profitability and competitiveness. The benefit of this collaboration will far outlast the length of the project.

The project is delivered by a experienced graduate working full time on managing the project and weekly support from an academic expert.

Once you have identify an academic or researcher who has the right expertise to drive forward the change required in your business you will then define and agree a project that will enable you to draw on their expertise and apply it to your business. The overall aim of the knowledge transfer is to help your business make a step change in an area that you have identified as a high priority.

Low Carbon KEEP projects must deliver a reduce carbon emissions, either within the business, the customer and/or the supply chain. Development of new products and processes, product design innovation, waste management and energy conservation are just a few ways this can be achieved.

For further information please visit : http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/microsites/low_carbon_keep/for_businesses.html<>

The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme

A new £20 million fund to help farming, forestry and horticultural businesses to become more efficient at using resources has been launched. The scheme aims to help businesses to become more competitive and more profitable, whilst reducing the impact of farming on the environment.

Farmers, foresters, woodland owners, agricultural contractors and horticulturalists can apply for grants of up to £25,000 to invest in green projects, new machinery and improvements to animal health and welfare so their businesses can grow in an environmentally friendly way.

The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme will fund projects that:

·       save energy and reduce carbon emissions;

·       reduce dependence on artificial fertilizers through better use of manures;

·       improve soil quality;

·       improve animal health and welfare;

·       save and recycle water; and

·       promote woodland management by processing timber more efficiently.

For more information go to http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/farm-and-forestry-improvement-scheme

New climate change advice to help businesses boost growth

Climate change will bring opportunities for economic growth if British businesses think now about how climate change will affect them, according to the Environment Minister, Lord Henley.  The message came at the launch of a new interactive online tool designed by Defra and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to prepare businesses for both climate risks and opportunities.

The Climate Resilience Toolkit is a quick and simple online tool available on the Business Link website for businesses wanting to increase their resilience to the changing climate, or explore possibilities for growth by taking advantage of the opportunities climate change will bring.

The toolkit provides a tailored report for each business to help it focus on what it should be doing to prepare, such as checking the robustness of its supply chain, the threat of flooding to premises and possible changes in customer demand for products.

Link to defra web page    http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/03/29/advice-to-businesses/

The Climate Resilience Toolkit can be found at www.businesslink.gov.uk/climaterisk

Low Carbon Innovation Fund (LCIF)

This is a Low Carbon Venture Capital fund for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in the East of England region.

The LCIF uses £8M from the European Regional Development Fund matched with approx £12M or more from private co-investment.

Please see the pdf below for further details

  lcif flyer

Climate Change and Business

The weather already significantly affects economic activity. As the climate changes, all sectors of UK business will face having to prepare for a range of new threats and opportunities.

The latest 2009 projections data produced by UKCIP predict warmer, drier summers, milder, wetter winters, rising sea levels. These will include extremes of more very hot days, an increase in the intensity and frequency of rainfall and an increase in the number of winter storms.

Weather impacts on business

Storms & Gales –  damage to buildings, loss of electricity supply and communications, disruption to transport services, damage to crops.

Heat waves –  health effects such as heatstroke and sunburn, damage to buildings and roads, increased costs of cooling buildings, restrictions on water supply, opportunities for tourism and crop diversification.

Floods -  flood damage to buildings and vehicles, disruption to transport services.

Wet weather - disruption to transport services, loss of revenue for high street sales and outdoor attractions, damage to crops.

Business support and advice

There are many organisations set up to provide support and advice on climate change.

UKCIP

The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) helps firms assess how that may be affected by climate impacts and how to adapt to those risks and opportunities.

www.ukcip.org.uk

Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust is an independent company funded by Government. Its role is to help the UK move to a low carbon economy by helping business and the public sector reduce carbon emissions and energy costs. The Carbon Trust has a wide range of assistance available on energy reduction including training, seminars, publications and free site surveys.

www.carbontrust.co.uk

Business Link

Provide support for businesses with information on a range of issues including climate change impacts and diagnostics on how climate change will affect businesses and how to adapt.  

www.businesslink.gov.uk

Envirowise

Offers UK businesses free advice and support on practical ways to minimise waste and reduce environmental impact

www.envirowise.gov.uk

Business Tools and Resources

A number of tools are available to assist businesses and organisations in assessing vulnerability to climate change and how to put in place measures to adapt to the changing climate. Capital allowances can be claimed for investment in sustainable plant and machinery.

UK Climate Projections

This modelling database provides the latest information on expected changes to the UK climate at a regional level.

www.ukcp09.org.uk

CLARA

A web based resource providing advice to SME’s on climate change adaptation, developing business cases and delivery resources.

www.ukcip.org.uk/clara

Enhanced Capital Allowances

Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA’s) enable a business to claim 100% first-year capital allowances on their spending on qualifying plant and machinery. There are three schemes for ECA’s:

·     Energy-saving plant and machinery

·     Low carbon dioxide emission cars and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure

·     Water conservation plant and machinery

http://www.eca.gov.uk

National Energy Foundation

The National Energy Foundation was set up in 1990 to help UK citizens address these through practical advice and help in installing energy saving measures and implementing appropriate renewable energy sources.   They have a useful carbon calculator.

http://www.nef.org.uk/greencompany/co2calculator.htm