By the Energy Reduction Manager (Michael Potter), RBWM.

The Energy Reduction Manager, Michael Potter, referred Members to pages 13-24 of the agenda and explained that the report provided an update and gave the Panel an overview of the progress being made to deliver the Panel’s energy reduction strategy. 

The key areas covered were noted as follows:

·         LED lighting project – phase 2

·         Energy Switching Campaign

·         MITIE Energy Performance Contract

·         Town Hall Building Management System (BMS) replacement

·         Schools Sustainability Education

·         Water Reduction Works

·         Work planned over the next period until the next Sustainability Panel

It was noted that the Council was currently working towards a four year Sustainability Strategy running from April 2014 to March 2018 and that the strategy focused on six work streams including: Sustainability, Energy, Water, Waste, Transport and Renewable Generation.  Members were informed that the strategy had three key targets over the four year period which were:

1.    Reduce energy in the Council building estate by 15% in 2017/18 compared to a 2013/2014 baseline.

2.    Reduce water usage in the Council’s corporate office buildings by 3% in 2017/18 compared to a 2013/2014 baseline.

3.    Recycling rates increased to 55% in 2017/18.

Each year an action plan is drawn up to enable the Council to meet these targets as well as other goals presented in the strategy documents. This update provides a progress report for the energy work stream.

In the ensuing discussion, the following points were noted:  

Ø  Members were referred to para 17.7 and were informed that the next step was to agree the scheme name.  It was agreed that the scheme name should be either ‘RBWM Switch to Save’ or ‘RBWM Energy Switch to Save’ and that the Panel were happy for the Communications and Marketing Manager, Louisa Dean, to make the final decision between the two preferred scheme names.

Ø  That the Panel would be informed via email before the October meeting of the full proposal which might include alterations at Stafferton Way Car Park as well as the potential Town Hall Building Management System (BMS) upgrade.

Ø  That it was being considered whether the Council could host a schools sustainability event in the future.  It was noted that further investigations were required before any commitment to the event could be made. Councillor Sharp requested that a schools energy saving competition was set up for the autumn term. It was suggested that the Energy Reduction Manager spoke to the Head of Schools and Educational Services, Kevin McDaniel, regarding the schools element and the Community & Business Partnerships Manager, Harjit Hunjan, regarding the incentives element.  It was agreed that a proposal would be brought before the Panel at the October meeting. 

Ø  The Panel was referred to Appendix 1 on pages 23 & 24 of the agenda which was a list of corporate sites that indicated previous lighting works and possible future lighting works. 

Ø  It was requested that the schools energy saving competition be added to the work planned over the next period in paragraph 17.24.

Ø  Councillor Sharp suggested asking the Maidenhead Advertiser / Bayliss Trust for their support / help in advertising the information for the energy switching campaign. 

That work planned over the next period included:

o   Progressing the energy switching campaign.

o   Investigating phase 2 LED upgrade projects.

o   Investigating water reduction projects.

o   Organising a schools energy saving competition.

UNANIMOUSLY AGREED; The Panel noted:

v  The progress made and commented on the proposed work plan over the next period as detailed in paragraph 17.24.

v  The name of the energy switching scheme to be delegated to the Communications and Marketing Manager, Louisa Dean, in order for a decision to be made between the two preferred scheme names ’RBWM Switch to Save’ or ‘RBWM Energy Switch to Save’.