by jbs052710 a3 — May 28, 2010—The U.K. public sector is on track to deliver cost savings in excess of half a billion pounds through energy saving projects and can go even further, the not-for-profit Carbon Trust announced May 20.
The news was announced as 120 public sector organizations including central government departments, local authorities, schools, universities, police and fire services, and National Health Service trusts joined Carbon Trust programs to help them cut their energy use and carbon emissions further over the next five years.
Since 2001, more than 3,000 public sector organizations have worked with the Carbon Trust. The energy-saving projects they have implemented during that time will deliver combined cost savings of £650 million over their lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 6.5 million tons, says the Carbon Trust.
But the future potential is even greater, with further public sector projects already identified that could deliver additional cost savings of up £3 billion and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 34 million tons, claims the organization.
The Carbon Trust’s annual programs for the public sector enable local authorities, universities and NHS trusts to collaborate in developing and implementing effective carbon reduction plans. Around 400 have already completed the program.
A further 120, with a combined annual energy spend of £365million, signed up May 20 for the year ahead. These included 20 ministerial departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies that joined a new Carbon Trust program for the central government estate.
