Energy benefits

Reducing the energy consumed in urban environments and buildings and establishing a less carbon intensive energy supply are now central responsibilities for local authorities.

Responding positively to these requirements has a wide array of benefits for businesses and communities.

Highlighting the direct and indirect benefits of addressing energy consumption and maximising the availability of renewable energy locally can be instrumental in making the case within local authorities, to communities and other partners.

Better quality of life

Sustainable energy planning can improve the quality of life of residents by:

• providing warmer, more energy efficient existing homes with reduced maintenance costs.

Healthier residents

Sustainable energy planning can improve the health of residents by:

• increasing comfort levels in and around buildings
• reducing the risk of illness related to fuel poverty and/or poor or excessive ventilation.

Stronger local economies

Sustainable energy planning can strengthen the local economy by:

• reducing energy bills through lower energy use
• providing longer term security for local heat and power supplies
• reducing the proportion of the population experiencing fuel poverty
• providing training and sustainable employment through targeted green collar job development strategies helping to ensure local economic resilience
• supporting workplace productivity and staff retention by creating more comfortable local environments
• providing the opportunity for value to be returned to the community via energy development and control at a local scale.

Protection from climate change

Sustainable energy planning mitigates climate change by:

• cutting greenhouse gas emissions through reduced energy demand in buildings
• reducing CO2 emissions through greater use of renewable energy sources
• efficiently connecting heat production and use through thermal masterplanning to ensure heat is not wasted within the local area
• reducing energy consumption in the production of construction materials
• using a local supply chain to reduce transport emissions.

Sustainable energy planning can help adapt to the effects of climate change by:

• designing building forms that can respond passively to long-term climate changes
• reducing the need for artificial cooling through well designed and responsive structures .
• reducing the contribution of buildings to the urban heat island effect.