Network Update – June 2014

This month: Upcoming breakfast events; Green Growth Platform launch event presentations; Gatwick Diamond case studies; Electric vehicles; Industry Insight Tours; What’s on WARPit?

Breakfast 10th July: Wave Leisure Case Study

At our Energy Efficiency Breakfast on the 10th July Fred Furner from Wave Leisure will give insight into how the company has significantly reduced energy and water consumption and waste generation across their seven sports centres and swimming pools. There will also be LED lighting and energy sub-metering and monitoring demonstrations. Full details.

On the 17th July in Chichester our focus is electric vehicles and renewable energy with a case study from leading vegetable grower Barfoots. Further details.

These events are part of the Green Growth Platform. £20 or £30 for two. Call 01273 964239 or email network@sustainablebusiness.org.uk.

Presentations: Green Growth Platform Launch Event

Over 120 organisations attended the launch of the Green Growth Platform in Crawley. Following speeches from Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Julian Crampton and climate change expert Professor David Nash, delegates heard from Enviroblinds, about how they developed their low carbon technology and the Millennium Seed Bank who have implemented a range of measures to improve energy, wate and water efficiency. View presentations.

The Green Growth Platform is led by the University of Brighton and funded by HEFC, with the Sustainable Business Partnership running the events programme. A wide range of free and subsidised services are available including one-to-one business coaching and support for innovation and research-and-development. Visit the website: www.greengrowthplatform.co.uk

Best Practice Case Studies from the Gatwick Diamond 

From LED lighting and insulation at Raven Housing Trust and rainwater harvesting and solar PV at Southern Railway, to edible corporate event displays by Lettuce Flowers and bespoke worktops made from recycled glass by GlassEco, there are some fantastic examples of environmental best practice being implemented by Gatwick Diamond businesses. Read more.

 

Blog: Electric Vehicles – The Silent Invasion

2,500 pure electric cars were sold in the UK in 2013 and the government expects there to be ‘hundreds of thousands on the road by 2020’. In an unprecedented move to stimulate the market, Telsa, the high performance motor manufacturer, has just announced that it will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use its technology. Is this the beginning of the electric era? Or are costs still too high and mileage range too low? Read our blog.

What’s on WARPit? Office Desks and Chairs Up for Grabs – Free!

Good quality office desks, tables, cabinets, chairs… are all currently available free of charge via the WARPit furniture re-use portal. Just sign-up on-line, select the item you would like to provide a new home for, then contact the donating organisation to arrange collection. We’re snapping up a couple of desks for our new office at the Brighthelm Centre! Join WARPit today: www.warp-it.co.uk/sbn  

And finally… 

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2014: Call for entries – Enter on-line 
Energy, transport, water and stakeholder engagement categories. Early bird entry closes 11th July.

Renewable Heat Incentives expanded – Details 
Biomass and solar thermal tariffs increased, new support for air-source heat pumps.

EU environmental goods and services sector grows by 50% – Article 
Market worth £543 billion and employed 4 million people in 2011 says European Commission.

Industry Insight Tours – Read more 
An opportunity to see behind the scenes at energy, waste and water plants across Sussex. Exclusive to Green Growth Platform members.