Solar panels on Tower Hamlets Town Hall (photo credit: Bouygues UK)
As world leaders gather at COP29, a new report shows Tower Hamlets Council has reduced carbon emissions by 19%, driven by the increased energy efficiency in the new Town Hall.
The council was one of the first local authorities in the country to declare a climate emergency in 2019, and since then the council has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 47%.
The move to the new Town Hall in Whitechapel has contributed significantly to the decrease in carbon emissions – the council restored the Grade II listed old Royal London Hospital, which was originally opened in 1757, back into community use.
As part of this process, the Town Hall was purpose-built to conserve historic architectural features while creating an energy-efficient building for the future.
The move from other buildings to the Town Hall has decreased electricity consumption by 24% and gas consumption by 29% - this is aided by the solar panels installed on the Town Hall and the fact that the Town Hall does not use gas whereas the previous location did.
Other significant projects contributing to this decrease in carbon emissions include a 7% decrease in emissions across the council’s transport fleet due to increased route optimisation and more efficient vehicles.
The council has also recently switched to using biofuel for our fleet of council vehicles, instead of diesel.
Additionally, the council has worked to convert the majority of street lighting to LED lighting, which has resulted in cutting energy consumption in half.
The council is planning to electrify the entire fleet as part of a long-term strategy, further reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing efficient and effective services.
Cllr Shafi Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said:
“As world leaders gather at the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference, we are both looking to the future and taking action on a local level to deliver climate-resilient and effective services for residents.
“We are ambitious and our plans over the next year will include electrifying the council fleet, continuing to improve the energy-efficiency of our council buildings, and installing more solar panels across our buildings.”
To read the full report and find out more information, please visit our website.
Posted on Thursday 14th November 2024