Network Update – May 2015

Welcome to May’s Network Update. This month: Not so smart phone; BHESCO share scheme; Crawley breakfast details; Lighting tender; Free cycle racks; Case study visits; Website travel widget.

Breakfast – 23rd June, Crawley: Living Roofs, Rainwater Harvesting, Housing Association
Case Study

Join us in June for a Sustainable Business Breakfast, featuring case study speaker Affinity Sutton who are implementing a range of energy efficiency measures at both their commercial premises and 57,000 domestic properties to reduce their carbon footprint by 20% by 2020, and topic experts Organic Roofs and Halsted Rain. Full details and bookings.

Not So Smart Phone? Product Land & Water Demands

A new report has found that the manufacture of a generic smart phone requires on average 18 m² of land and 12,760 litres of water. The extraction of the minerals and rare metals, such as lithium, cobalt and platinum, are responsible for a large proportion of this impact, as is the product packaging, which accounts for more than half the land demand. In comparison a cotton t-shirt requires 4.2 m² of land and 3,900 litres of water and a pair of leather boots 50 m² of land and 14,503 litres of water (25,024 litres if the tannery does not have an effluent treatment facility).

New! Case Study Visits – Now Booking

This July we have arranged two case study visits – to Plumpton College to see their solar PV system, woodchip boiler and ground source heat pump, and the famous Brighton Earthship, created from sustainable and recycled materials, including 1,000 used car tyres and 2 tonnes of empty bottles and cans.

Both tours are free to attend, but places are limited. Dates and bookings.

Community Energy Share Scheme Launched in Brighton

BHESCo, a not-for-profit co-operative, have launched a share scheme to raise money to install energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at schools and businesses in Brighton & Hove and the surrounding area. Investors receive an expected interest rate of 5%, plus potential tax relief, and the host sites benefit from reduced energy bills and carbon emissions. Full details.

Free Website Travel Widget!

The West Sussex Travel Planner allows you to compare transport options (including for trips outside of the county) by journey time, carbon emissions and calories, as well as find out bus and train times. And if you a keen to help your customers chose the most sustainable route to your premises, a free widget is available offering instant access to the travel planner from your website.

And finally…

Free cycle racks for South Downs businesses – Application forms
Provided by the National Park. Business must cover installation costs.

Pure Community Energy Fund – Website
Loans for community organisations to install renewables or LEDs. 4 to 6% interest rates.

Event reports and presentations – Read more
From our Sustainable Business Breakfast in Brighton and tour of the Woodlands In-Vessel Composting Facility.