London boroughs get cash to cut carbon

The funding totals £3m with each of the projects receiving at least £200,000.

Each low carbon zone will tackle the problem in its own way, but all will be expect to reduce emissions by at least 20.12% by 2012, .

The solutions vary from hard engineering such as installing micro-renewables or offering cheap community heating to financial incentives for householders prepared to tackle their property’s energy efficiency.

Many boroughs will also be trying to persuade residents to make positive changes themselves, offering free advice from ‘energy doctors’ who can suggest practical ways for people to cut the emissions from their homes.

Other schemes will look at set up apprentice-style training for green collar jobs.

“It’s a whole range of different things,” the Mayor’s environment advisor Isobel Dedring told edie.

“Anything from home efficiency, schools being made more energy efficient to a solar panels on the roof of a supermarket that people can use the energy for their homes.

“Most of it is really about engaging the public and small businesses – not just physical changes.”

All 33 London boroughs were invited to bid for funding from City Hall, and the ten successful were announced at the Guildhall at the London Congress, a gathering of council leaders and the Mayor.

Each individual zone will be relatively small – affecting around a thousand buildings – but the plan is to use the diverse projects to see what works and find effective ways to cut carbon on a community level, then replicate the successes where possible.

Ms Dedring said “We would want the different zones to seed between each other.”

“And then obviously we would like to replicate some of those things London wide if they are effective.”

Sam Bond