Built Environment and Energy
Why is this important?
The energy we use and generate, especially across the built environment, has one of the biggest emissions impacts across Warwickshire. By retrofitting new technologies into existing buildings and improving standards within new construction, we can develop a built environment that needs less energy to heat and power to run. Reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency within homes and buildings will also help to tackle fuel poverty.
As a Council, close to 70% of our carbon footprint (Scope 1 and 2) is associated with energy in our buildings and streetlighting. How we construct, use, heat and cool our buildings is particularly important.
Our path to net zero will be supported by decarbonisation of the electricity grid over the next 30 years. Sources such as wind, solar, and potentially nuclear will become the main source of electricity generation and will provide greater energy security within our own borders. Other options such as the use of hydrogen for heating may become a viable solution in the future but widespread use is not expected for many years.
Ambition
We want to live and work in a county that is powered entirely by clean fuel or renewable sources; in buildings that are energy efficient and resilient to the impacts of climate change and connected to nature.
What we need to do
Our overarching objectives for this theme are to:
- 2a. Increase the amount of energy generated from local renewable sources.
- 2b. Reduce the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) arising from energy and building use across Warwickshire’s homes, schools, and businesses.
- 2c. Reduce the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emitted from Council buildings and streetlighting.
- 2d. Improve Warwickshire’s built environment to provide resilience to changes in climate.
For more information on the built environment and energy, see pages 21-23 of the Sustainable Futures Strategy (PDF, 1MB).