ENVIRONMENT ARCHIVE : May 2003
Online
Green Guidance Launched for Glass Manufacturers
New
guidelines have been launched on the NetRegs
website to help smaller glass manufacturing companies understand their
environmental obligations.
The guidelines - http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/netregs
- offer advice on good environmental practice and clearly detail the
regulations covering the manufacture of ceramics, as well as glass and
glass products, the cutting, shaping and finishing of stone and the
manufacture of plaster and concrete products.
The guidelines are essential reading for anyone involved in small scale
glass manufacturing, hand blown glass production or etching.
The site - a joint initiative between the Environment Agency, the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service
(NI) in conjunction with the Small Business Service - is free to use
and there is no need to register.
Environmental impacts associated with glass manufacturing range from
air emissions such as carbon dioxide from fumace fumes - to contaminated
water discharges during the production process. Other impacts include
land contamination, waste generation and incorrect storage and handling
of oils, fuels and chemicals.
The launch of the guidelines follows research commissioned for NetRegs
which revealed that awareness of environmental regulations among small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK remains low. Of those
questioned, 86% did not think their activities harmed the environment
despite the fact that SMEs generate about 60% of the nation's commercial
waste and are responsible for as much as 80% of pollution incidents.
When prompted with a list of potentially damaging practices, nearly
60% said they conducted at least one of them yet only 18% could name
any environmental legislation affecting their business.
Environment Agency Chairman Sir John Harman said: 'Our research suggests
that many SMEs manufacturing glass and glass products may not be fully
aware of their environmental obligations. This is why we have launched
these NetRegs guidelines to help them comply with the legislation covering
the work they do.
'The site takes visitors through complex legislation using plain language
- it is easy to use and is completely free and anonymous.'
Jeld-Wen earns Award for Protecting the Environment through Energy Efficiency
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy
(DOE) have named Jeld-Wen as an Energy Star Partner of the Year for
its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by
making and promoting energy-efficient products. Jeld-Wen is a leading
manufacturer of reliable and energy-efficient windows and doors, and
its Energy Star accomplishments were recognised at an awards ceremony
in Washington, D.C. on April 15th, 2003.
Jeld-Wen, a partner in the programme since 1998, is being honoured for
its leadership in manufacturing products that earn the Energy Star label,
the mark of environmental protection through energy efficiency. By choosing
Energy Star qualified products, the typical household can save up to
30 percent on their energy bills, or about $400 a year. In 2001 alone,
Energy Star helped Americans save enough energy to power 10 million
homes and reduce air pollution—the equivalent to removing 12 million
cars from the road—and saved consumers $6 billion.
Jeld-Wen offers a wide-range of Energy Star qualified products in the
full spectrum of windows and doors. Recognising the importance of energy-efficient
products in today's market, Jeld-Wen developed point-of-purchase displays
prominently exhibiting the Energy Star logo. To further spotlight the
importance of energy-efficiency, Jeld-Wen's energy icon Dr. Pane (http://www.drpane.com)
delivers the Energy Star message in a fun, family-friendly way.
'Jeld-Wen is pleased to partner with the Energy Star programme,' said
Jeld-Wen General Manager of Marketing Support Russ Taylor, ' Jeld-Wen
has always focused on manufacturing products that deliver what customers
want most: reliability, energy performance and excellent value. Energy
Star qualified products save consumers money, offer the same or better
features as standard models and are good for the environment. To our
customers, that is value.'
The Energy Star Award is given to manufacturers and retailers that successfully
promote and deliver Energy Star qualified products, saving consumers
money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Award winners are selected
from thousands of organisations that participate in the Energy Star
programme.
'The Energy Star programme couldn't be such a success without the commitment
of partners like Jeld-Wen,' said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate
Protection Partnerships Division. 'The Energy Star Awards are our chance
to recognise those partners who, by manufacturing and promoting Energy
Star, helped put more than 750 million Energy Star qualified products
into American households over the last decade.'
Web: http://www.jeld-wen.com
Web: htp://www.energystar.gov
Alcoa
Continues Commitment to Sustainability With Release of 2002 Sustainability
Report
Alcoa
marked Earth Day 2003 with the release of its 2002 Sustainability Report,
a detailed, data-based review of the company's global, environmental,
social and economic performance.
In releasing the report, Alcoa Chairman and CEO, Alain Belda said that
it represented another milestone in Alcoa's long tradition of measuring
performance against the high standards set by the company and reporting
publicly on progress made.
'Truth can be judged by performance, so data and factual information
pervade this report,' said Belda. 'We have presented information that
yields meaningful insight into our global operations, where we are making
progress and where we are not yet performing to the standards we set
for ourselves,' he said.
Belda attributed the achievements outlined in the report to the hard
work of 127,000 Alcoa employees in 40 countries. 'Alcoa's employees
are working effectively to drive waste from the value chain, from the
natural resources that make our products all the way through the supply
chain to the customer. That is how we secure the benefits and reduce
the cost for our business, our customers, our communities, and our world.
This is how we demonstrate leadership.' he said.
Highlights of the report include:
•The best safety performance in Alcoa's history with more than
99% of Alcoa employees recording no lost work days due to injury.
•Significant progress in contributing to the fight on climate change
with a 22.5% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels
- well beyond the targets outlined at Kyoto.
•Reductions in total process water use of 13%, reductions in global
sulfur dioxide emissions of 13% and 23% reduction in emissions of nitrogen
oxides, all over the past three years.
•Community giving - more than $34 million in 2002 alone - and commitment
to an innovative global programme designed to deliver 'More than Money'.
Much of the environmental, social, and economic data in the report has
been regularly reported in one form or another by Alcoa for decades,
but this is the first time that it has been drawn together to provide
an integrated view of the company's performance. This report serves
as a complementary volume to Alcoa's 2002 Annual Report.
Web: http://www.alcoa.com
Clean
Green Polymers 2003 - 11-12 June, Cologne, Germany
Clean
Green Polymers 2003 is a two day international conference which will
focus on the challenges facing the plastics industry as it responds
to growing environmental concerns and regulation, such as Climate Change
Levy, WEEE and ELVD. It will provide an arena for the dissemination
and exploitation of innovative work in the field and an ideal opportunity
to network with those who have both the solutions and the problems.
If you would like to receive a copy of the Technical Programme or wish
to take advantage of the 'Early Bird' registration offer (saving Euro
200 per delegate) please contact:
Faraday Plastics Partnership
Rapra Technology Limited
Telephone: 01939 252310
Fax: 01939 251118
Web: http://www.faraday-plastics.com
Web: http://www.polymerconferences.com
PPG's
Automotive Glass Operations Achieve Global Environmental Certification
PPG
Industries has earned ISO-14001 certification for its centralised environmental
management system and a total of 16 automotive glass manufacturing facilities
across North America.
The certification revolves around effectively managing an operation's
impact on the environment.
'We are proud of our environmental performance and firmly believe it
is a key to our global competitiveness,' said Barry J. McGee, vice president
of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) glass. 'Earning the ISO-14001
certification will pay short- and long-term dividends in retaining and
expanding PPG's leadership position in the automotive glass marketplace.'
A single ISO-14001 certificate covers PPG's automotive glass operation,
according to David C. Cannon Jr., PPG's vice president, environment,
health and safety (EHS). The certificate covers automotive glass manufacturing
facilities at Mount Zion, Ill.; Evansville, Ind.; Evart, Mich.; Crestline,
Ohio; Creighton, Meadville and Tipton, Pa.; and Hawkesbury, Oshawa and
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. The ISO certification also extends to PPG's
satellite facilities at customer sites at Talladega, Ala.; Newark, Del.;
Suwanee, Ga.; O'Fallon, Mo.; and Alliston and Kitchener, Ontario.
'We saw the opportunity through this approach to earn the certification
cost-efficiently and effectively,' Cannon said.
'While we already had an excellent EHS strategy in place, ISO-14001
has some specific requirements. Because of our existing EHS framework
we were in excellent position to meet those requirements.'
It took PPG two years to achieve the certification, one year ahead of
the original schedule. The flexible policies and procedures that PPG's
automotive glass business developed can also serve as a foundation,
Cannon said, for development of ISO-14001 compliance strategies for
other PPG business units.
The Cristal Laminado o Templado automotive glass plant in Tepeji del
Rio, Mexico, (co-owned by PPG) has also earned ISO-14001 certification.
PPG's 27 automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM), automotive
refinish, industrial and packaging coatings facilities around the world
also have ISO-14001 certification. Other PPG sites that have ISO-14001
certification include Transitions Optical facilities in Pinellas Park,
Fla., and Tuam, Ireland; PPG Sipsy pharmaceutical fine chemicals facility
in Avrille, France; and automotive refinish plants at Stowmarket, England,
and Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is a global supplier of glass, coatings,
fibre glass and chemicals, with 120 manufacturing facilities and equity
affiliates in 23 countries. Sales were $8.1 billion in 2002.
Five
Vitro Facilities Receive Clean lndustry Certification
Vitro,
S.A. de C.V. announced on 11th March that five of its facilities received
recognition for their environmental efforts from Mr Jose Campillo Garcia,
federal delegate of Mexico's Environmental Protection and Natural Resources
Secretary (Semarnat).
The companies that received 'Clean Industry' certification were Vitrocrisa's
'C' and 'M' facilities, Autotemplex, Vitro Flex, and lndustria del Alcali.
As a result, more than the 60% of Vitro's operations have received the
government's Clean lndustry certificate since the company began conducting
voluntary environmentai audits with the Semarnat in 1998.
Antonio Silva, Vice President of Quality, Environmental lmprovement
and Security at Vitro, said, 'We are very proud to receive these certifications;
they reinforce our resolve to achieve 'Clean Industry' certification
for all of Vitro's production facilities.'
'Vitro's people actively participated in the certification process,
and now, they see recognition for their efforts. Our goal is to exceed
legal compliance standards and, in the process, realise important competitive
advantages,' added Hector Pulido, Vitro's Environmental Manager.
Vitro's environmental efforts are consistent with the company's AST
Business Administration Model, named in honour of Mr Adrian Sada Trevino,
Vitro's Honorary Chairman of the Board, and aligned with the company's
business Strategy: to promote an environmental culture in the communities
where Vitro operates.
Over the last five years, Vitro has worked with the authorities to conduct
voluntary environmental audits at 29 of the company's facilities. The
company's energy conservation, water management, and emissions reduction
programmes offer important competitive advantages.
Vitro further promotes and educates the public about the many advantages
of glass recycling through its coordination, sponsorship and participation
in local, national, and international programmes. In Mexico, the company
supports approximately 50 recycling programmes at myriad collection
centers, including schools, hospitals, shopping malls, hotels, and landfill
disposal sites across the country.
Iceland's
Environmental Agency Issues Operating Permit for Alcoa's Fjardaal Plant
Iceland's
Environmental Agency issued an Operating Permit on March 14th for Alcoa's
proposed Fjardaal primary aluminium smelter in Eastern Iceland.
The Permit establishes environmental operating conditions and emission
limits for the plant, which is being designed for maximum production
of 322,000-metric-tons-per-year of primary aluminium per year.
The new Alcoa plant will have significantly less environmental impact
than an earlier design for the location for four basic reasons:
*Alcoa will not dispose of spent pot lining, a by-product of the aluminium
production process, on the site in Iceland.
*Carbon anodes will not be manufactured at the Iceland plant, eliminating
a source of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOX) and hydrocarbon
(PAH) emissions.
*Alcoa is designing the plant to achieve strict, self-imposed sustainable
development objectives, including zero process water discharge.
*The annual production level of the plant will be approximately 25%
below that planned for the original plant.
While the Alcoa plant will bolster the local economy in East Iceland,
it will not require as many resources as the original design. The smaller
size of the Alcoa facility, in addition to the state-of-the art technology
planned for Fjardaal, ensures that it will consume less electricity
(22% less), fuel (33% less) and water (58% less) than the original proposal.
Alcoa's study also projects that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will
be 25% less, PFC emissions will be 40% less, and nitrogen oxide (NOX)
will be 80% less than under the original proposal. The Permit establishes
stringent gaseous fluoride limits in ambient air and Fjardaal expects
to achieve performance targets that are among the lowest in the world.
Welcoming the Environmental Agency's issuance of the permit to Fjardaal,
Alcoa Chairman and CEO Alain Belda said, 'Alcoa's commitment to the
environment and sustainable operating practices helped secure the operating
permit, an essential step to this investment.'
Web: http://www.alcoa.com
Save
the Planet when you Replace your Windows - GGF Launches new Consumer
Leaflet
Yesterday
at the Point Hotel in Edinburgh the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF)
launched a new consumer leaflet explaining how the changes to the Building
Standards will affect them and what they need to do in order to comply.
From March 2002, the Scottish Building Regulations required all domestic
replacement glazing including windows, doors and rooflights to have
greatly improved thermal performance. These Standards were temporarily
relaxed but will be fully implemented from March this year. One of the
main reasons for the change in the Standards was the need to reduce
energy loss in the home. This will enable us to meet increasingly stringent
national and global energy saving targets.
The rate of heat loss through a window or door or rooflight is expressed
as a 'U value'. The lower the 'U' value, the greater the thermal insulation
and the energy savings. The new Standards state that the 'U' values
for replacement windows must now not be more than 1.8 for windows with
PVCu or timber frames and 2.0 for windows with metal frames. This compares
with double glazed windows made with ordinary glass which have a 'U'
value of 3.3.
When replacing your windows, doors or rooflights with double glazing
your installer will have to use Low emissivity glass in order to meet
the new requirements.
Low emissivity glass has a surface coating that allows short wavelength
heat from the winter sun to enter your home through the glazing. This
solar energy works with your domestic heating system to warm up your
room, which then gives off long wavelength heat radiation. A large proportion
of that long wave heat would normally disappear back out through windows
made with ordinary glass. However the Low emissivity coating reflects
that heat back into your room, ie. the coating keeps the heat in your
home.
Nigel Rees, GGF Chief Executive commented 'Energy efficiency is an increasingly
important issue for us all. Our new leaflet on Low emissivity glass
explains to Scottish home owners exactly what needs to be installed
in their homes when they replace their windows, doors or rooflights.
Home owners need to be aware of these changes as it is their responsibility
to ensure that any replacement window work carried out on their homes
meets the new Building Standards. Any failure to comply with these Standards
could cause problems with selling their house in the future.' He continued,
'the leaflet also explains how the surface coating on this new glass
differs from ordinary glass and what consumers should expect in terms
of visual quality.'
The Building Standards Division of the Scottish Executive added, 'The
Executive welcomes the initiative taken by the GGF in order to inform
both industry and the consumer about these important Standard changes'.
Consumers can get a copy of this leaflet and a list of their local GGF
Members from Jim Williams on 01324 664311.
Web: http://www.ggf.org.uk
SIMPLE,
CLEAR POLICY ON ENERGY TAXATION REQUIRED, SAYS UK BUSINESS
Business is calling for clearer environmental taxation policies from the Government in a study carried out with assistance from the Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust. With energy policy in flux and a Government White Paper on the subject expected in the next few weeks, the use of tax as a way to encourage more energy efficiency is an issue that needs to be resolved.
Environmental think tank Green Alliance, together with the Policy Studies Institute, has been researching the effects of a carbon tax, with the help of funding from the Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust (PEET). The resulting report Next Steps for Energy Taxation calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make a clear commitment to using economic instruments in its efforts to tackle climate change.
In particular, Green Alliance says that the Climate Change Levy needs to be strengthened and simplified to create a carbon tax, sending clear signals to business and so enabling sound investment decisions.
The Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust gives financial support to research or demonstration projects aimed at furthering the understanding or practice of energy efficiency in buildings. It has been a consistent supporter of energy policy research.
This latest report, in addition to outlining the conflicts at the heart of existing policies, investigated the attitudes of business towards the use of economic instruments in delivering carbon savings. This survey found that the vast majority of those interviewed were in favour of taxation as the best means of delivering the Government's climate change goals.
According to Rebecca Willis, the director of the Green Alliance, "Energy policy has been divorced from both climate change policy and taxation policy: the result is confusion and a dilution of effort. We have shown that taxation has a clear role to play in achieving our CO2 reduction targets. We are now calling on the Government to make carbon taxation an integral part of their energy policy."
Although the Climate Change Levy is seen as a useful first step towards taxation for climate change, the survey found a substantial degree of frustration with the design of the Levy. The report calls for the tax to reflect the carbon content of fuels and for exemptions to be phased out. At the same time, simple and cost-effective alternatives, such as energy efficiency investments and renewable sources of power, should be promoted.
Rick
Wilberforce, secretary of the Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust, commented:
"It is clear to everyone that we need to tackle global warming
by changing the way we use fossil fuels. This report is an important
contribution to the debate about how we achieve that change. We are
pleased to have been able to support this study."
The Green Alliance can be contacted on: 020 7233 7433 or www.green-alliance.org.uk
Pilkington
Trust Enables ZEN Project to get off the Ground
A
new source of practical advice for building professionals on sustainable
building practices has taken to the air - or rather the ether - with
the launch of the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN) pages at www.innovationonline.info.
The venture is the result of two years work by its developers and was
only made possible by funding from the Pilkington Energy Efficiency
Trust (PEET) and Biffaward.
The
idea of ZEN came from the Hockerton Housing Project, the UK's first
earth-sheltered, self-sufficient, ecological housing development. The
Nottinghamshire project attracted enormous interest from architects,
builders, housing associations, developers and academic institutions
- all of whom wanted to know how they could make their buildings more
sustainable.
The Zero Emissions Network was designed to create that knowledge bank
and also to provide a means for building professionals to build links
with each other. Such a venture would need funds though. Although a
large proportion of this was given by Biffaward, it was essential to
find another partner to make the network a reality. Here, Pilkington
was able to help.
The Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust has been set up by the glass
producer to encourage innovative approaches to energy-efficient building
design, although not necessarily with a focus on glazing.
'The Zero Emissions Network was a very appropriate choice for support,'
notes Rick Wilberforce, the Trust's secretary. 'How we use energy -
and in particular how we reduce emissions to the atmosphere - is a vital
question if we are ever to achieve an environmentally sustainable existence.
ZEN is an important contribution to that process; one we have been very
glad to assist.'
For Nick White, a director of the Hockerton Housing Project that created
ZEN, Pilkington's support was key. 'Without the financial help we received
from the Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust, we would not have secured
the necessary resources to enable the project to go ahead,' he says.
Now the results of this venture can be accessed on-line, due to collaboration
between Hockerton and the University of Nottingham's Innovationonline
team. The team maintains a website that hosts 'virtual communities'
of specialist groups with an interest in innovation and new technologies.
The ZEN part of the site includes a discussion forum, articles about
zero emissions developments, a directory of companies involved in this
topic and links to other useful sites.
The ZEN web site can be found at: http://www.innovationonline.info
For further details of The Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust contact
Rick Wilberforce at Pilkington on 01744 692914.
For more information about the Hockerton Housing Project, telephone
01636 816902. Email: mailto:hhp@hockerton.demon.co.uk.
Web: http://www.hockerton.demon.co.uk
GTS
Offers More Than Just a Test Certificate! - A Fresh Approach to Environmental
Monitoring
Glass
Technology Services (GTS), the technical arm of British Glass, is continually
evolving its skills and service base to be in tune with the demands
of modern industry - and more particularly in the field of Environmental
Services.
To ensure that its customers can source a quality-assured service that
has credibility with regulators, GTS is an organisation in the field
of environmental services currently accredited by the United Kingdom
Accreditation Service (UKAS) to the ISO 17025 quality standard for its
environmental monitoring services.
Further, the environmental team has also achieved Source Testing Authority
(STA) endorsement and regularly takes part in STA competency testing
and training seminars to ensure that it keeps abreast of the latest
developments - and is currently training to become MCERTS Level 2 qualified
in time for the launch of this new quality standard.
Other services which help to generate the broad base of environmental
testing GTS has worked hard to create for its clients include:
* Environmental/Emissions Monitoring
- Stack sampling for gaseous, particulate, acidic and metallic emissions
- In factory monitoring for dusts, organics, metals, organometals, acid
gases and noise
- Site perimeter monitoring (ambient air and noise)
- Monitoring for substances listed in IPPC A1 and A2 guidance.
* COSHH / Health and Safety Monitoring
- In factory noise monitoring (Class I Noise meter)
- Personal samplers for exposure to dusts, organics, metals and orgaonometals.
- COSHH / personal exposure and noise monitoring during furnace demolitions
/ repairs.
- Measurement of Local Exhaust Ventilation
Contact: Mark Pudner
Tel: 0114 290 1801
Email: mailto:mark.pudner@glass-ts.com
Red
River College Sets the Bench Mark for 'Green' Architecture
A
college campus in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is setting the bench mark
for 'green' architecture and historic renovation.
The $33.4-million downtown Princess Street Campus for Red River College
campus was selected to represent Canada last autumn in the prestigious
Third International Green Building Challenge – Sustainable Buildings
2002 Conference in Oslo, Norway. The Princess Street Campus was chosen
as one of the top ten designs in the world.
This is the second sustainable building award for the Winnipeg firm
Corbett Cibinel Architects who were also awarded the Canada Energy Efficiency
Award 2000 for the most energy efficient new building in Canada.
The Princess Street Campus opened its doors to students and faculty
in September, although there are two more phases in campus construction
before some 2000 students can all be welcomed. The 220,000 sq.ft. multimedia
campus and information technology learning centre is located in Winnipeg's
historical Exchange District. Architects incorporated the restored facades
and interior spaces of five heritage buildings in the area. They've
also dismantled, reused and recycled many of the original building materials.
Some
of the environmental features of the project include:
• a vegetated green roof and new landscaping
• water-conserving fixtures and controls on toilets
• re-use of existing materials including some interior tile and
glass, brick and stone and timber trusses
• operable windows promote natural ventilation
• solar control panels
• spectrally selective glazing on windows admits 71% of visible
light
Putting
the Green in Evergreen
Evergreen
Door manufactured steel door products now comply with a European Directive
on using timber from renewable and well-managed sources.
The
doors carry Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation meaning
that the timber used in the workable door sub-frame carries a 'chain
of custody' certificate so it can be traced back to sustainable forestry
sources.
Evergreen's FSC-sourced timber comes from Brazil and is sold exclusively
to them for use on exterior doors.
The use of 100% CFC-free foam in all its door products is another example
of Evergreen's 'green' approach to manufacturing. The company also operates
several recycling initiatives.
Managing Director Robert Benn comments: 'We are proud to offer our products
with FSC approval demonstrating our contribution to the conservation
of the environment.'
Evergreen Door is aiming to achieve the ISO 9001:2000 quality standard
later this year.
Contact: Bob Benn
Tel: 01924 423171
Action
Energy launched to help Glass Industry Cut Energy Costs
Action
Energy is a Government initiative introduced by the Carbon Trust, to
help businesses within the glass industry cut their energy costs through
the provision of free, professional advice and assistance. As part of
the launch a new £10 million Energy Loans initiative is also being
introduced across England and Wales, with the support of Margaret Beckett,
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Through Action Energy, organisations from multinationals to small businesses
(including not-for-profit and public organisations) will now be able
to receive free and impartial advice on how to save money by reducing
energy use. As well as the clear commercial advantages, companies can
also maintain their corporate social responsibility.
Small and medium-sized companies in England and Wales that require capital
investment to become more energy efficient, can also benefit from the
new £10 million of interest-free Energy Loans - these are available
in loans of between £5,000 - £50,000, repayable over four
years. The scheme builds on the success of similar schemes which already
operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret
Beckett, who is endorsing the Energy Loans comments: 'Smaller businesses
are responsible for a significant amount of carbon emissions in the
business sector. So cutting their energy use is central to meeting our
carbon abatement targets and moving towards a low carbon economy.
'But SMEs can find it hard to save energy, even though considerable
savings are realistically achievable. A key barrier is that they may
not have easy access to the capital they need to make the necessary
investment.
'This new Carbon Trust programme (Energy Loans) addresses this head
on by offering up-front interest free loans for practical and realistic
energy efficiency measures, recycling the Climate Change Levy straight
back to small levy-payers to help them save both energy and money.'
Experience has shown that energy bills can often be reduced by up to
20% using a variety of energy efficient techniques, many of which involve
little or no expenditure. Action Energy has been established to help
all organisations to achieve this. The services offered include a free
helpline providing expert advice, online information, publications providing
basic to technical information and free energy surveys to identify opportunities
for energy savings.
A further financial incentive available to all businesses, is provided
in the form of Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs), which encourages
businesses to invest in energy saving equipment. The Carbon Trust is
taking over responsibility for managing, promoting and monitoring the
Government ECA Scheme. Businesses can claim 100% first year capital
allowances on investments and write off the cost of their investment
against taxable profits for the period during which they make the investment.
Businesses should call the helpline now on 0800 58 57 94, or visit http://www.actionenergy.org.uk
to take advantage of the advice and services available through Action
Energy
Gains
in Global Emissions Reductions Outlined
Alcoa's
2002 Corporate Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) report has been
published online at http://www.alcoa.com/lnk/2002ehsreport.asp
This is the tenth consecutive year that Alcoa has published such a report
that this year appears exclusively online to take advantage of the speed,
flexibility, and reach of the Internet. The 2002 report was published
at 12:01 a.m. on January 1st, 2003, underscoring the timeliness and
transparency of the company's environmental, health and safety initiatives.
The online report also paves the way for broader integrated reporting
of Alcoa's environmental, social, and economic performance in keeping
with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. Moving towards that
GRI report, Alcoa will publish a combined 2002 environmental and community
report as a companion publication to its traditional financial Annual
Report in 2003.
Highlights of the 2002 EHS report reveal significant progress towards
Alcoa's twenty-year strategic environmental, health, and safety objectives
including a new low in Lost Work Day injuries and dramatic gains in
global emissions reduction. These include attainment of 23.5 percent
of a targeted 25 percent reduction by 2010 of greenhouse gas emissions
measured against a 1990 baseline and a 31.5 percent reduction in land
filled waste against a 50 per cent reduction target by 2007.
In releasing the 2002 report Alcoa Vice President EHS and Audit, Bill
O'Rourke reiterated Alcoa's commitment to timely reporting.
'We've been publishing EHS progress reports through the year, and now
finalised that with a summary and charts showing our performance in
2002. This is how we believe we can help people develop an accurate
picture of our EHS performance as it's happening.
'We're pleased with the results of 2002 and, looking forward to 2003
and beyond, they give us a solid base for moving on to our goal of zero
injuries and zero environmental incidents, while all the time striving
for first quintile financial performance,' he said.
Timber
Windows have Key Role in Guildford Eco Housing
Factory
finished, high performance timber windows have been supplied by a member
of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) during a refurbishment project
that is to serve as a test bed for environmentally friendly building
practices for Guildford Borough Council.
The Victorian end of terrace house has been fully renovated and fitted
out with a range of energy saving products and components under the
initiative led by the council's Department of Housing and Health.
In line with the overall ethos for what the department has termed its
'Ecohouse', contemporary wooden windows - manufactured by Howarth Windows
and Doors under the BWF's Timber Window Accreditation Scheme were chosen
to replace the original sliding sash units.
This specification not only meets the demands of Part L to the Building
Regulations while utilising a renewable resource, it also maintains
the architectural integrity of the building. Howarth's windows offered
the project team the Egan compliant advantage of a fully guaranteed
paint finish and factory installed glazing.
The Building Surveyor responsible for the work, Brian Baverstock, comments:
'The Ecohouse is to be used to demonstrate how our older stock can be
brought up to modern standards of energy conservation, with measures
such as thermal drylining and high performance double glazing. It was
decided that sliding sash windows should be used to replace the original.
'Choosing timber is beneficial from an environmental point of view while
the factory finishing with its guarantee overcomes the problem of controlling
quality on site. We went out to tender to a number of companies who
make wooden sash windows and Howarth, which put in the best quote, gave
very good service. The Ecohouse will now become an exhibition in its
own right, open to the public.'
Howarth surveyed the property and produced the eight windows to the
exact dimensions so they could be installed behind the outer brickwork
of the reveals in the authentic manner.
While replicating the appearance of traditional box frames, the windows
utilise foolproof spiral spring balances mounted in an aluminium track.
While this mechanism is completely conceaied in the frame, simply releasing
a couple of catches allows the occupant to swivel the sashes inwards
for easy cleaning.
The frames were fitted with 24 mm thick IG units containing Low-E glass
to achieve the required U-value while timber's natural insulating properties
and the use of draught stripping complete the energy performance picture.
A guide to the Timber Window Accreditation Scheme is available free
from the British Woodworking Federation.
Tel:
020 7608 5050
Email: mailto:bwf@bwf.org.uk
Web: http://www.bwf.org.uk