Enviroment Industry Magazine Issue 24

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Alex StaceyTel: 0161 3410158Fax: 0161 7668997Email: [email protected]

Environment Magazine Limited, 254a Bury New Road,Whitefield, Manchester, M45 8QN

Every effort is made to verify all information published, but Environment Industry Magazine cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any losses that may arise as a result. Opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect those of Environment Magazine Limited. Environment Industry Magazine welcomes contributions for publica-tion. Submissions are accepted on the basis of full assignment of copyright to Environment Magazine Limited unless otherwise agreed in advance and in writing. We reserve the right to edit items for reasons of space, clarity or legality.

Welcome to the first Environment Industry Magazine of 2013. I am immensely proud of this issue of the magazine. We have secured a remarkable line-up of commentators for you! The eve of the introduction of the EUTR (European timber regulations) is upon us and we have editorials written by Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment and John White, Chief Executive of the Timber Trade Federation explaining what this much anticipated regulation will mean to the timber industry and its customers.

It is also nearly time for the green building sector’s flagship exhibition and conference, and as you would expect we have a show preview. EcoBuild starts on Tuesday 5th March and runs until Thursday 7th - it will be the biggest showcase of green building technologies in the UK. To support the show preview we have a feature from Richard Hardy from BRE on the Importance of Sustainable Building Certification. We also have editorial from the President and CEO of Skanska, Mike Putnam, who has also recently become the Co-Chair of the Green Construction Board.

Obviously the Green Deal is high on the agenda at the moment and will be an important topic at EcoBuild. As such we have Tom Lock, Certification Manager at the Energy Saving Trust and Neil Marshall, Chief Executive at the National Insulation Association discussing the key role insulation will play in the success of Green Deal. We also have editorials from some of the most influential people in the renewable energy sector, with Jeremy Leggett discussing Solar Power, Merlin Hyman CEO of RegenSW on Wind Energy, and Chairman of Day One Energy Steve Fawkes discussing Energy Efficiency.On top of that we have Mary Creagh, MP Shadow Secretary of State for Environment. Last month she made a speech committing a future Labour government to a policy of zero food waste. She has written a follow-up on that statement for Environment Industry Magazine with an editorial on Zero Food Waste. We also have Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, outlining the newly announced Road Map for Anaerobic Digestion.

Most significant of all, we have Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié, director of the IUCN - Save our Species project - writing about the biggest conservation crisis since the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Conservation is a passion of mine and it is important to me that Environment Industry Magazine gives a voice to the people and organisations fighting against the onslaught of habitat destruction and the menace of poaching. They are the frontline protecting this planet’s unique biodiversity. In keeping with this ethos, the pièce de résistance for this issue of Environment Industry Magazine is our Famous Last Words item which has been provided by a personal hero of mine and possibly the most recognisable voice in nature conservation Sir David Attenborough. You can read David’s thoughts on conservation at the end of the magazine.

Normally in my introduction I try not to comment on the calibre of writers in the magazine as every issue draws in the greatest and brightest individuals from the environmental arena. This time for once I am making a point of it, mostly because I never imagined that Environment Industry Magazine would include comment from Sir David Attenborough, but also to highlight that this is the only publication to bring together the thoughts of such influential and authoritative leaders from such diverse areas of the environmental industries.

Based on this issue of the magazine and what we have planned for the rest of the year, 2013 is going to be an amazing year for Environment Industry Magazine.

Hopefully we can catch up with some of you at EcoBuild. This year we have decided not to have a stand so if you want meet up with us you can email me to make an appointment.

[email protected] or call on 07791 227303.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Alex StaceyManaging Editor

ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY MAGAZINE |3|

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6 NewsNews

Tales from the Watercooler

Jason Drew Column

Industry Perspective - Don Robins

Steve Grant Column

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36 Agriculture Food & Packaging

Let’s end food waste - Mary Creagh

Packaging recyclability – A given? - Matt Benyon

Packaging Innovations 2013

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42 Air QualityDevelopment and application of personal air pollution sensors for population studies - Professor Frank Kelly and Dr Benjamin Barratt

OMA Version 4 - Dr Richard Gould

Clean air – still a political objective after 60 years - Jim Mills

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52 ConservationSave Our Species, Save Our Selves - Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié

Nutkin ventured, Nutkin gained: Restoring the Fortunes of the British Red Squirrel - Dr Craig Shuttleworth

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60 EnergyThe Solar Century - Jeremy Leggett

A new community approach to renewable - Merlin Hyman

Energy Efficiency The ‘known knowns’ and the ‘known unknowns’ of energy efficiency - Dr. Steven Fawkes

Green Deal and what it means for insulation businesses - Tom Lock

National Insulation Association gears up to maximise the opportunities under the Green Deal and ECO - Neil Marshall

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74 Environmental Remediation

A Plethora of Registrations? - Mike Summersgill

Advancing the understanding of former gasworks through the application of award winning forensic research - Dr Russell Thomas

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86 Sustainable Build & Civil Engineering

Leading the way - Mike Putnam

Meeting market needs for ‘green’ products - Richard Hardy

Ecobuild 2013

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98 Timber & ForestryEU “Timber Regulation” enters into application - Janez Potočnik

The EUTR: by securing and de-risking supply, strong regulation can boost demand - John White

This unified, global effort is required to save tropical forests and their vital resources - Christian Jebsen

American hardwood industry endorses EU efforts to eradicate illegal timber trade

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112 TransportCommercial Vehicle Show Preview

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116 Waste & Recycling

Finding the road to AD success - Charlotte Morton

Aiming high. How Scotland’s zero waste ambition is shaping up - Iain Gulland

Recasting UK WEEE recycling - Ian Hetherington

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126 WaterOptimising water treatment assets for increased efficiency - Darren Dale

Monitoring technology improves production efficiency - Dr Patsy Rigby

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132 MiscellanySustainability Live 2013 Show preview

Education: A Case for Environmental Education - Professor William Scott

Environmental Prosecutions

ISO 14001 - making a global environmental difference - Martin Baxter

Product Guide

CASE STuDIES

Case Study One: Paste technology offers an environmental friendly way to dispose of tailings from mining industry

Case Study Two: Solar Air Heating technology from CA Group delivers significant results for M&S

Case Study Three: Alumasc Meets Environmental Criteria At EcoCampus, Hamilton International Park

Case Study Four: Pet foods facility achieves less than two year payback with LED lighting

Case Study Five: Solar system at the height of 111 meters

Case Study Six: Pioneering environment project to give Adderbury Lakes a sparkling future

Famous Last Words : Sir David Attenborough


News

Air Quality

Agriculture, Food & Packaging

Environmental Remediation

Sustainable Build & Civil Engineering

Timber & Forestry

Transport

Waste & Recycling

Water

Miscellany

Energy

Conservation

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News

Tales from the Watercooler

Jason Drew Column

Steve Grant Column


The Environment Agency will save in excess of £10m per year with web based document management solutionIPL selected by The Environment Agency to deliver an Agile, robust and secure document management solution the web-based electronic duty of care (edoc) solution, which is set to reduce the administrative burden of completing 25 million Waste Transfer Notes each year, minimise paper storage requirements and improve the quality of waste management information, which will result in an estimated annual saving of £10m to UK businesses in waste management expenditure.

Currently, under UK waste legislation, all businesses have a duty of care to ensure waste is produced, stored, transported and disposed of without harming the environment. As part of this process, businesses must complete Waste Transfer Notes (WTN). These are retained for at least two years; and up to seven years for landfill to meet tax obligations.

The existing WTN process is paper based and with an estimated 50 million pieces of paper being stored at any time it is a huge administrative burden on businesses. Once edoc goes live in 2014, the EA hopes that businesses will take full advantage of the efficiencies and cost savings the system will create and anticipates that 80% of WTNs will be completed online.

At 125 meters, scientists discover the deepest reef coral ever found on the great barrier reefA team of scientists from the Catlin Seaview Survey has discovered reef coral living at 125 metres, the deepest ever found on the Great Barrier Reef. The remarkable find of a community of reef corals was made on the outer edge of the Ribbon Reefs off the north of the Barrier Reef. The extreme depth is more than four times the depth of the shallow reef coral habitat (0-30 m) which scuba divers can access and which has made the Great Barrier Reef such an iconic natural feature.

Dr. Pim Bongaerts from the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland, who led the expedition’s deep reef team, said: “It’s intriguing. When we began our survey, we were amazed to see significant coral communities at depths of around 60 metres. However, it is truly mind-blowing to see reef coral at more than twice that depth – and FOUR times deeper than most scuba divers can reach.

We found the plating Leptoseris corals at a depth of 125 metres. Although the corals are small and the community at such depth only consists of few species, it shows that there are viable communities living down there. The corals were attached to the rock surface and were certainly not individual corals which have fallen down to this depth. The discovery shows that there are coral communities on the Great Barrier Reef existing at considerably greater depths than we could ever have imagined.” The Catlin Seaview Survey is sponsored by global specialty insurer Catlin Group Limited. Catlin supports the collection of scientific data so experts can better understand climate change and its risks and therefore inform the decisions needed to manage the consequences. The Great Barrier Reef expedition is part of an ambitious programme to survey many of the world’s coral reefs which are under threat from climate change through warming oceans and acidification of seawater as well as by coastal pollution and unsustainable fishing practices. Summarizing the significance of the find, Dr. Bongaerts said: “Most important of all, these discoveries show just how little we really know about the Reef and how much more is yet to be discovered. This poses lots of questions for us, but now we have specimens we’ll be able to analyse them much more closely and can expect our findings to reveal a far greater understanding of just what is going on to enable reef corals to survive at such extreme depths.”

© Catlin Seaview Survey


India is on track to overtake China as the world’s most populous country within the next 30 years and its continued economic growth at an annual rate of 8% means that India’s need for electricity has never been greater.

As a country, India is now more than halfway through its 12th Five-Year Plan. Although the target of adding around 78,000MW of new capacity is not expected to be met by the end of the current plan, India will certainly have added more capacity than in all previous Five-Year Plans combined.

Undoubtedly challenges still exist for the Indian power sector, not least the gap between peak electricity demand and production, which currently stands at around 12%, and the fact that approximately 400 million of its population still do not have access to electricity.

India continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels, in particular coal, for its electricity production and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Recent analysis has indicated that during the current decade, gas will see the highest growth rate among the major fuels.

The country is however keen to diversify its generation mix, encouraging greater development of low-carbon resources such as nuclear, renewable and hydropower energy.

Renewable energy is at the heart of government plans for new clean energy infrastructure. India’s Solar Mission aims to see solar power achieve grid parity with the cheapest coal-fired capacity by 2030, and there are plans to install at least 20GW of solar thermal and photovoltaic capacity by 2022. There are also plans in place to double India’s installed wind capacity by 2022, and ensure this southeast nation emerges as an important manufacturing base for the global wind industry.

Nuclear power will also expand strongly due to the large number of nuclear plants currently under construction, and strong growth is also projected for renewable energy, with non-hydro renewables (wind, solar PV, CSP, biomass, geothermal and marine) substantially expanding their share of power generation over the next two decades.

The Indian Government is also keen to develop its hydropower sector further and has put policy incentives in place to support it with the main aim of increasing hydropower’s share of national power production from 26% to 40%.

Given India’s status as a rapidly developing economy and future economic superpower, it is not surprising that global electricity generation is growing across all fuel sources in India. Whilst the country is very strong in hydro and wind power, it is in gas and nuclear that India, and similarly China, will massively outpace developments elsewhere, albeit growing from currently very modest levels.

That said, POWER-GEN India & Central Asia, together with its two co-located events Renewable Energy World India and HydroVision India, now truly reflects one of the most exciting electric power markets in the world.

Taking place from 6-8 May at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, India, this annual show is widely recognized as one of the region’s most important forums for the power industry and is ultimately the premier event for meeting major players in the Indian and international power sector, learning about the latest technologies, exchanging ideas and developing new contacts.

With a history of attracting over 9,000 attendees representing 43 countries, including 100 eminent speakers and 300 leading exhibiting companies spanning the entire power generation, distribution and transmission sectors, this is an event NOT TO BE MISSED!

Entry to the exhibition is free to all visitors. Conference delegates can also save 10% with the Early Bird Discount if registration is completed by Friday 5 April (€525 instead of €580).

POWER-GEN INDIA & CENTRAL ASIA & RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD INDIA& HYDROVISION INDIA 2013

www.power-genindia.comwww.renewableneergyworldindia.comwww.hydrovisionindia.com

+ For More Information


Wet 2012 Puts Slugs and Snails Way Ahead

RHS announces its ‘top ten’ pest enquiries for 2012

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced its ‘Top Ten’ pests for 2012 based on enquiries received by the charity’s Entomology department. As in 2011 slugs and snails topped the list but this time they generated almost twice as many enquiries as cushion scale, the number two pest. The previous year both pests had almost a similar number of enquiries.

“The dominant feature of 2012 was the weather and this had a big impact on garden pest problems,” says Andrew Halstead, RHS Principal Scientist Plant Health. “As we all know this was the second wettest year in the last hundred years. Pests that like damp conditions therefore did well. Last summer the demand for slug controls, especially nematodes used as a biological control, sometimes exceeded supplies.”

Mosquitoes and biting midges were other beneficiaries because of the plentiful supply of temporary pools and wet soil. These provided ideal breeding sites where the larvae could develop. However, the below-average temperatures and wet weather may have also had some positive effects. These conditions can reduce the mating success and rate of development of pests, as well as restricting their mobility. Some pests, such as horse chestnut leaf-mining moth, euonymus scale and viburnum beetle, were noticeably less troublesome last summer. Other pests, particularly aphids and scale insects, are susceptible to fungal infections that can spread rapidly in wet conditions, and this may have resulted in reduced populations.

“It will be interesting to see what effect the wet winter has on pest populations in 2013,” says Andrew. “Insects that overwinter underground or spend part of their life cycle there can drown when the soil becomes waterlogged. This affects not just pests but also some beneficial insects, such as ground-nesting solitary bees. Slugs and snails are often so abundant in gardens that some damage has to be tolerated. Gardeners need to accept that they cannot be totally eradicated,” says Andrew. “Seedlings and other vulnerable plants can be protected with slug pellets containing metaldehyde or ferric phosphate but there are also some useful non-chemical controls. For example a biological control specific to slugs is available in the form of a microscopic nematode or eelworm (Nemaslug).”

Gardeners, if they have a particularly bad slug problem, should consider transplanting sturdy plantlets grown on in pots, rather than young vulnerable seedlings. They can also place slug traps, such as scooped out skins of half oranges or grapefruits laid cut side down or jam jars part-filled with beer and sunk into the soil, near vulnerable plants. Barriers can be used to keep slugs and snails away from plants. These include copper tapes around pots or standing them on matting impregnated with copper salts. Moisture-absorbent minerals placed around plants may be useful and, of course, predators that eat slugs and snails, such as some birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, slow-worms and ground beetles should be encouraged in gardens.

2012 2011

1 Slugs/snails (107) 1 Slugs/snails (69)

2 Cushion scale (53) 2 Cushion scale (65)

3 Vine weevil (46) 3 Vine weevil (54)

4 Ants (42) 4 Ants (39)

5 Glasshouse mealybugs (36) 5 Viburnum beetle (37)

6 Soft scale (33) =6 Fuchsia gall mite (36)

=7 Woolly aphid (32) =6 Cypress aphid (36)

=7 Cypress aphid (32) =8 Leek moth (33)

=9 Fuchsia gall mite (30) =8 Chafer grubs (33)

=9 Lily beetle (30) =8 Glasshouse mealybugs (33)

=8 Brown scale (33)

Top 10 pests in 2012 and 2011 (number of enquiries in brackets)

www.rhs.org.uk+ For More Information


SLR carries out cooling water discharge study for Maltese power company Leading environmental firm SLR Consulting has carried out a study on the impact of cooling water discharges on Maltese marine wildlife. The project, for Malta’s largest energy company, Enemalta, confirmed that a potential increase in generating capacity at its Delimara power station would not affect rare bivalve molluscs, including the large saltwater clam, the Noble Pen Shell, Pinna nobilis. The project included modelling cooling water discharges and mapping the existing and predicted thermal impacts for a range of hydrographic, seasonal, weather and operating conditions to assess the impacts on the Noble Pen Shell.

The work was carried out in conjunction with the local consultancy partner, AIS

Environmental, who provided hydrological information and benthic ecological mapping. SLR managed the modelling and undertook the Protected Species Impacts assessment.

SLR also worked with Ecospan to develop a mathematical model of the marine environment and to evaluate if additional cooling water discharge, as a result of possible expansion at the heavy fuel oil plant, would impact on areas of the seabed designated for the clams’ protection.

SLR Director Richmond Kingsbury who managed the project, said: “The mathematical model covered the Mediterranean from North Africa to Sicily and assessed summer and winter conditions. The model predicted the spread and dispersion of the cooling water for a range of conditions. These data were used to assess the vulnerability of ecologically sensitive areas. Our findings showed that the rare bivalve molluscs would not be affected by increased cooling water discharges.”

Environmental Awareness Training – 100 free places at Barnsley College!Barnsley College is offering 100 free places on their Environmental Awareness Training in 2013 for any small and medium enterprise (SME) in South Yorkshire, limited to one free place per company.

The Level 3 Award in Understanding the Fundamental Principles and Requirements of Environmental Technology Systems is suitable for people with roles that involve the management or specification of environmental technologies, and people who have to inform or advise customers and clients about environmental technologies, their use and benefits.

The course includes units on the following technologies: Solar Thermal Hot Water; Solar Photovoltaic; Micro-Combined Heat & Power; Heat Pumps; Micro Windpower; Rainwater Harvesting; Biomass; Micro Hydropower; and Greywater Reuse.

The offer of 100 free places cements the College’s commitment to developing green knowledge and skills in the region. Colin Booth, Barnsley College Principal, comments: “One of our main aims is to up-skill Barnsley’s workforce and businesses to make them the most sought after professionals and trades people in the country.”

Students on the course will have access to the College’s Think Low Carbon Centre, a working example of sustainable construction demonstrating the latest renewable energy equipment and energy efficient building methods, which will really help to bring the learning to life.

For more details on this course please contact 01226 216224.


Interface, Inc. and the Zoological Society of London pilot in the Philippines hailed a success Global carpet tile manufacturer Interface, Inc. and conservation charity the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are celebrating the successful completion of a pilot project and the start of a commercial venture with both conservation and socio-economic benefits.

The innovative collaboration, called Net-Works™, has been created to tackle the growing environmental problem of discarded fishing nets in some of the world’s poorest coastal communities. By establishing a community-based supply chain for discarded nets, Net-Works aims to improve the livelihood of local fishers, while providing Interface with an innovative source of recycled materials for its carpet tiles. Discarded nets on the beaches or in the sea have a detrimental effect on the environment and marine life as they can persist for centuries. But, most nylon from these fishing nets is the same material used to make carpet yarn.

The viability of the collaboration was proven between June and October 2012. After conducting research and working closely with local communities and NGOs, Net-Works established the infrastructure to collect the fishing nets, gathering one tonne (1,000 kg) of nets in the first month, and substantially cleaning up the beaches in four local communities near Danajon Bank, a threatened coral reef in the Philippines. Operations are now scaling up, with the intention of developing commercial carpet tiles incorporating the collected nets later this year. Collection systems will now be set up in at least 15 local villages, involving more than 280 impoverished households (equivalent of 1,400 people based on an average household size of five). The goal is to collect 20 tonnes of nets by the end of April, a significant amount that will generate funds directly for communities and make a positive difference, given that family incomes in the area are typically less than £100 a month. Nigel Stansfield, Chief Innovation Officer at Interface says, “It is really gratifying to see that the concept we’ve developed with ZSL works and promises so much. At Interface, we are designing for a higher purpose—and feel a sense of responsibility beyond the products we sell. The collected fishing nets have a nylon that can be recycled directly back into our carpet tiles, which will help us reduce our use of virgin raw materials and, critically, create livelihood opportunities for local communities. We are now looking forward to expanding operations and delivering the first carpet tiles from our collaboration.”Dr. Nick Hill from ZSL says, “Net-Works has been greeted with a huge amount of enthusiasm and interest from the local communities around Danajon Bank. This was clearly seen by the number of people interested in participating in the project and turning out to clear the beaches of discarded nets. Nets are very light, and we always knew our target of collecting one tonne of nets from such a small number of communities was going to be a challenge – so we’re delighted that we have been able to achieve this. It is still early and we will be monitoring both the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the project over the coming year, but the signs are there that these impacts will be positive.”

During 2013, Interface and ZSL will explore opportunities to expand their partnership to other parts of the world. They also plan to develop a toolkit to help other groups and organisations establish Net-Works supply hubs.

uK leads Eu scheme to drive bioenergy innovationThe UK has pledged up to £10M (€12.5M) to a scheme to develop innovative bioenergy projects, in partnership with seven other EU countries. The cash will help stimulate millions of pounds of further private investment in the technology. Bioenergy is one of the most versatile forms of low carbon and renewable generation. It can be used to produce heat, electricity or transport fuel and can provide a continuous and constant flow of energy. Development of the bioenergy supply chain will also support growth and jobs in the UK economy and abroad. The ERA-NET Plus BESTF scheme, worth around €47M in public money, will stimulate up to €100M of bioenergy innovation projects in the UK, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Switzerland and Portugal.

DECC, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board will all play a vital role for the UK in this scheme. DECC will put up to £6M (€7.4M) into the scheme over the next 2-3 years, with the Technology Strategy Board and BBSRC together contributing up to a further £4M (€5.1M). DECC will co-ordinate the initiative with the Technology Strategy Board providing support. Organisations will be invited to put forward proposals for innovative projects in early 2013, with grants expected to be made in early 2014.


PD Ports welcomes the world’s first purpose built wind turbine installation vessel into hartlepoolPD Ports has welcomed the world’s first purpose built wind turbine installation vessel into the Port of Hartlepool. This is the first time PD Ports has handled a vessel of this size at the Port of Hartlepool.

The MPI Adventure arrived at the Port in late December to commence work on the Teesside Offshore Windfarm Project, for which the Port of Hartlepool has been appointed as the main construction logistics hub. Described as the ‘next generation’ of wind turbine installation vessels, the arrival of the MPI Adventure adds further credibility to PD Ports’ ability to handle industry class vessels at Hartlepool, required for the size and scale of offshore wind projects.

The Teesside Offshore Windfarm Project, being developed by EDF Energy Renewables, requires the MPI Adventure to transport the 27 turbines, in particular the towers, Nacelles and blades, out to sea, some 1.5km off the shore of Redcar. This is expected to complete in early spring.

Over 100 people are involved in the offshore construction programme, operating out of the project supply base established at Hartlepool.

Three national environmental charities have formed an innovative partnership

that will ensure one of the country’s finest sites for wildlife can be protected for

future generations.

The Land Trust, RSPB and Buglife– The Invertebrate Conservation Trust have signed a long term agreement to manage Canvey Wick, a unique new nature reserve on Canvey Island in Essex.

Canvey Wick is a 19 hectare site (an area equivalent to around 25 football pitches) which has been hailed in the past as a ‘brownfield rainforest’ due to its amazing wildlife value. Surveys by Buglife have shown that Canvey Wick has more biodiversity per square metre than any other site in the UK and it is home to many rare species of insects including Shrill carder-

bee and Five banded weevil wasp, which is why the site was the first Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to be designated specifically for invertebrates.

The reserve is now owned by the Land Trust, a charity that takes ownership of public spaces, such as Canvey Wick and enables them to be managed for community benefit. The Trust was able to take ownership of the reserve thanks to a funding package totalling c£1m from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Crucially £860k of this money is held by the Land Trust as an endowment, a sum of money which is invested, with returns from this investment being used for maintenance and community events each year. This therefore, provides a long term source of funding which means that the unique wildlife that inhabits this nature reserve can be protected and the reserve enhanced.

© Peter Harvey


Envirolink Northwest placed into liquidationBev Budsworth from Manchester-based business recovery business, The Business Debt Advisor, has been appointed as liquidator to not-for-profit organisation, Envirolink Northwest Ltd. The limited company was set up in 2001 to support the development and growth of low carbon and environmental goods and services sector in the Northwest of England. At its peak in 2010, the company employed around 90 staff and turned over £6m. Following a board meeting in early December 2012, Envirolink Northwest Ltd was placed into voluntary liquidation resulting in the redundancy of all its 19 staff.

The business was first started in 1999 by business leaders from the environmental sector and in 2000, the then North West Development Agency (NWDA) recognised the importance of promoting environmental status in the North West and awarded Envirolink Northwest ‘cluster manager’ status and funding.

It fell into cash flow difficulties following successive funding cuts and the early closure of projects, which were exacerbated by the ERDF team moving from NWDA control to the control of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in April 2011.

World’s first hybrid reach stacker soon to be available in uKThe world’s first hybrid reach stacker, developed by Konecranes, is soon to be available in the UK through Cooper SH.

With a 45 tonne lifting capacity, the new SMV 4531 TB5 HLT features a hybrid diesel/electric driveline, an electrified hydraulic lifting system, and a super capacitor based energy storage - significantly cutting fuel consumption and emissions.

Estimated fuel consumption will be around 10 litres/hour during normal handling of fully loaded containers, significantly less than with conventional reach stackers. This is achieved by electrifying all flows of energy across the driveline, the hydraulic lifting system and the energy storage system. Its unique features will also provide improved acceleration performance and lifting response to driver commands.

Tony Rooney, Cooper SH Director, commented: “This project has been on-going for around 2 years and we are delighted that it has now entered its field-test mode. It is further proof that SMV (Konecranes) truly are the innovators within the industry having brought to market such designs as glass ‘wrap-around’ pillar-less operator cabs, load sensing hydraulics, ECO drive fuel management technology, which competitors have since followed, and now this new hybrid technology.”

Says Anders Nilsson, Technical Director, Konecranes Lift Trucks: “Propulsion and lifting are powered by dedicated electric motors that can all operate in regenerative mode. The energy generated from braking and load lowering is recovered and stored for later re-use. This translates into a significant reduction in diesel fuel consumption and environmental impact. Meanwhile, productivity is increased in terms of quicker response and higher acceleration.”

The new hybrid Konecranes reach stacker has been, and will continue being, field-tested at the Port of Helsingborg’s container terminal, which is one of Sweden’s leading container terminals and operates a significant fleet of Konecranes units.

SPAR gives a new lease of life to riot victims

While the streets of London were caught up in some of the worst rioting the UK has ever seen in August 2011, Ravinder and Amrit Khurmy’s entire livelihood was being burnt to the ground before their eyes. The couple’s convenience store Ealing Green Local was victim to the widespread looting and arson, leaving the shop in a state of complete disrepair. The couple were left facing a huge financial struggle. Amrit said: “We were absolutely devastated when our store was ruined – and our insurance company refused to pay out. There was a lot of media attention on our store, and we were invited to tell our story at the Retail Trust Annual Ball.”

It was here that the couple were introduced to Amarjit Bhdaal and his wife Sharan, owners of their own SPAR convenience store in Doncaster. “After the Ball, all the big boys promised us the world but none of them actually delivered,” said Amrit. “However, Amarjit suggested we contact SPAR to see if they could help us.”It turned out to be the perfect suggestion, as the couple have now signed a co-investment trading agreement with SPAR, allowing them to operate once more as independent retailers. Amarjit, who owns and runs his own SPAR convenience store in Doncaster, said: “When I listened to Amrit and Ravi tell their story I found it sobering. I couldn’t help think about what if it had happened to me.

“I asked people at SPAR if we could help them and liaised between the two parties. I was so pleased when I heard they had managed to sign a deal, as they will now benefit from the fantastic SPAR support network and you can never underestimate the value of that.”

The new-look 1,200sq ft SPAR store opened on 15 February, housing fresh foods, food-to-go, hot coffee, an in-store bakery and an off licence.

“We’re really excited about opening our doors again. Our customers are really behind us and we can’t wait to serve them and our local community again,” said Amrit.

Stuart James Photography http://stuartjamesimaging.com


Volkswagen has confirmed that its XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle, the most fuel-efficient production car in the world, with a fuel consumption value of 0.9 l/100 km (approx. 313 mpg) will go into production at the company’s Osnabrueck factory in Germany. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, the two-seater can also cover a distance of up to 50 km in all-electric mode and therefore with zero local emissions.

Biffa and partners to start work on New Port Sunlight River Park Tourist AttractionWork that will transform a former Wirral landfill site into an attractive new tourist attraction is now underway. The £2.3m scheme will see the creation of the Port Sunlight River Park on the former Bromborough Dock Landfill site. To celebrate the start of works Alison McGovern MP for Wirral South joined the park’s delivery partners which includes Biffa, one of the UK’s leading waste management companies, to begin the tree planting.

The Port Sunlight River Park is due to open in summer 2014 and the work now underway will create a vibrant community park. The project will benefit local communities, and combined with the beautiful heritage village of Port Sunlight will stimulate economic development of the wider Wirral area and coastline.

The 28 hectare site will offer visitors stunning views across the river Mersey to the Liverpool waterfront and the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plans include taking advantage of the site’s existing 37m high mound (0.5m higher than Liverpool Cathedral) to create a new green visitor attraction. The site is the flagship project of the Mersey Coastal Park Strategy, part of Wirral Council’s regeneration vision for East Wirral designed to re-connect communities with the River Mersey and harness the economic potential of the waterfront. An area of salt marsh to the North of the site is an important site for large populations of water birds and is a site of special protection. Work will also improve the public realm along the waterfront, a perimeter walk, as well as a walk to the summit including new wildlife habitats and seating.

Alison McGovern MP starts the work that will transform the former Bromborough Landfill Site into Port Sunlight River Park - Featured left to right are Peter Lunt, Biffa; Michael Parr, the Land Trust; Keith Jones Forestry Commision and Alison McGovern MP

Betts Envirometal calls for a fresh look at NHS X Ray Film DestructionWith the nation’s eyes once again on the NHS, one company is urging the organisation to look again at its bottom line, whilst also ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act. Betts Envirometal claim a significant revenue stream is being ignored by the NHS, caused by a combination of lack of awareness and lack of compliance. X-ray films contain a substantial amount of silver halide with a high market value if recovered correctly. Yet this precious metal is largely being lost by the NHS, perhaps because managers are not aware of the value of this waste stream. Betts Envirometal is setting out to change this situation.Patient confidentiality makes it necessary to dispose of X-rays through a competent, certified contractor. The vast majority of adult X-rays should, according to NHS retention legislation, be destroyed after a period of 8 years (the exceptions being paediatric and cancer-related X-rays which are retained for 21 years). Once a Trust keeps X-rays beyond this period, they are in breach of the law. The fact is that many Trusts lack the resources to comply with the legislation. In many cases there is insufficient manpower to identify and gather files for destruction. In the majority of cases, however, X-ray film is held by off-site storage contractors which charge prohibitive ‘exit fees’ for the release of such items. The good news is that the recovery of silver from X-rays can not only pay for the disposal service, but in most cases will generate revenue for the Trust which in turn can be used to offset staff costs or exit fees.Betts Envirometal recently completed a large culling and destruction project for Barking & Havering NHS Trust - managing their X-ray waste stream in full compliance with the law. Barking & Havering’s Radiology Resource Manager, Michael Cotter said, “Betts helped the Trust recognise the value of this waste stream whilst delivering a fully auditable and licensed solution, and are now returning the revenue from the recovered silver back to the Trust.” Betts Envirometal, the UK’s leader in precious metals recovery, is calling on NHS Trust directors and governance managers to check their compliance with the retention guidelines. NHS storage facilities are likely to contain large volumes of medical X-ray film which has passed the legal retention period.

However, if this film were to be released for destruction at the appropriate time, it would provide a valuable revenue stream and a positive outcome for the Trust’s balance sheet.


Kebony wins 2013 Rushlight Responsible Product or Service Award Kebony AS, the innovative company offering sustainable alternatives to tropical hardwoods, has won the 2013 Rushlight Responsible Products or Service Award.

The Rushlight awards bring together the top organisations at the forefront of developing new clean technologies and innovations. The Responsible Products or Service Award is awarded to the product or service which has achieved the most impressive reduction in its environmental impact.

This award is the latest in an impressive string of recent award wins secured by Kebony. These include the Best Business Award for Best Innovation in 2012, nomination as a fastest growing clean technology company in the 2012 Cleantech Connect Awards and acknowledgement as one of the world’s most promising cleantech companies in the Guardian Global Cleantech 100 in 2010 and 2011. Kebony has also received the Nordic eco-label, the Swan, the Glass Bear for sustainable production and the Norwegian Blue Ocean Award.

Dedicated Decorators Help Make House a Home for DionKind-hearted DIY enthusiasts helped to paint a smile on the faces of thousands of people, including the family of a 2 year-old boy with leukaemia, last year, by donating over 465 tonnes of leftover re-usable paint to brighten up homes and communities across the UK.

Over 300 million litres of paint is sold in this country every year, of which an estimated 50 million litres remains unused; stored in homes, sheds and garages or simply thrown away.

In 2012 householders, traders and paint manufacturers donated 387,495 litres of paint to Community RePaint schemes, which then distributed 218,364 litres to some 2,214 community groups and 17,296 individuals, providing 190 jobs and 1,274 volunteer and training opportunities. Community RePaint South Lancashire, working together with Macmillan Cancer Support, helped the family of young Dion by decorating their new home, after they had no choice but to move closer to the hospital providing the intensive therapy needed to treat their son’s condition.

Martin Gamester, Manager of Community RePaint South Lancashire, heard of the family’s plight and offered the services of the scheme’s Paint Shed programme, to decorate their new council house in Burnage, Manchester. Using paint donated to Community RePaint, The Paint Shed’s team was able to decorate Dion’s bedroom with a Disney theme and paint the rest of the house, as well as providing furniture and carpets. Volunteers from the local church and Macmillan Cancer Support also helped to spruce up the lounge, lay a floor and tidy the gardens.

“We basically made the house habitable by painting and decorating the whole house,” explained Jamie Monks, Manager of The Paint Shed. “The family are absolutely made up with the results and are amazed just how many people got involved at no cost to them for this worthy cause.”

Community RePaint schemes collect unwanted, surplus paint and re-distribute it to individuals, families and communities in need, improving the wellbeing of people and the appearance of places across the UK. Sponsored by Dulux, the Community RePaint Network is celebrating two decades of bringing colour to life.

Paul Murgett, Environmental Projects Co-ordinator, said: “Over the last 20 years Community RePaint has made a huge difference to families, like Dion’s, across the UK through the re-use of paint. 2012 was no different and the figures show another fantastic effort to

enhance the lives of those in need through both decorating and work or training opportunities.”“The Community RePaint Network is made up of 67 schemes across the UK, and we will be taking every opportunity to promote our 20th anniversary this year to raise awareness of paint re-use so that more individuals and community groups than ever before can benefit from brighter homes and communities,” added Community RePaint Network Manager Martin Pearse.

Getting colour from every drop...If your family or community group needs paint, no matter how much or how little, get in touch with your nearest Community RePaint scheme by clicking on www.communityrepaint.org.uk and entering your postcode.



Hitachi nuclear reactor design to be assessedPlans from Japanese firm Hitachi to build up to six new nuclear reactors in the UK have progressed as Ministers asked the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency to assess the design of their reactor.

Hitachi recently acquired Horizon Nuclear Power and plan to develop new nuclear reactors at Wylfa in Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire.

A Generic Design Assessment (GDA) will now be carried out on the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, which is the only Generation III + reactor which has been in operation anywhere in the world, with four ABWRs in Japan, and three others under construction in Japan and Taiwan.

John Hayes, Minister of State for Energy, said:“New nuclear has a central role to play in our energy future, delivering secure, low carbon power and supporting jobs and economic growth. Hitachi’s commitment to the UK is extremely welcome, and I am determined that we work closely with the company to deliver their planned investment.

“We must however be absolutely sure that any reactor used in this country meets our rigorous safety standards. That’s why I’m asking the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency to conduct a thorough examination of the reactor design proposed for the Wylfa and Oldbury sites.”

David Jones, Secretary of State for Wales, said:”This is an important step forward for the Horizon Nuclear Power project and demonstrates the UK’s commitment to Hitachi and the building of new nuclear.

“I know that the students of Coleg Menai in North Wales who are working towards a career in the nuclear industry will be pleased that the Generic Design Assessment stage has moved forward so quickly.”

A new award for innovation in green energy products and services has been launched by leading green energy charity Ashden, sponsored by Impax Asset Management. Impax is an equity investment specialist, dedicated to investing in resource optimisation and environmental markets.

Now in their 13th year, the Ashden Awards champion practical, local energy solutions that cut carbon, reduce poverty and improve people’s lives in the UK and developing world. This is the first time that the Awards will recognise green products and services that have only recently reached the market.

Ashden Founder Director Sarah Butler-Sloss said: “Innovative energy products and services that make reducing our CO2 emissions realistic, appealing and affordable are essential if we are serious about combatting climate change. We are therefore very excited to be launching the Impax Ashden Award for Energy Innovation. Impax will add huge value to this year’s Awards, with Chief Executive Ian Simm bringing to bear his financial and business expertise in the sector as a judge for

the Award, and with the follow-up guidance and support that Impax will provide to the Award winner.”

Chief Executive of Impax Ian Simm commented: “I have been very impressed with Ashden’s achievements over many years, their innovative awards programme and their commitment to supporting early stage organisations in the field of sustainable energy. I am therefore delighted that Impax is sponsoring the Impax Ashden Award for Energy Innovation. There is tremendous interest and support for Impax’s involvement with Ashden amongst our staff, and we are keen to work with Ashden on UK volunteering and mentoring opportunities.”

Some 12 companies and programmes have been shortlisted for the UK Ashden Awards, one of which will be awarded the Impax Ashden Award for Energy Innovation. The Award will be presented at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 20 June. The winner will receive a prize of up to £20,000, as well as support to grow its work further and a national platform to promote its work.

used by companies worldwide. Rebecca Cottington, Environmental Officer at Birmingham City University, said: “Implementing this system has allowed us to take a more structured approach to environment management and the University has had a number of successes in this area this year.The University has achieved a 19.4% reduction in carbon emissions from energy use in buildings when compared to 2005/06 and a 37% reduction in our water use since 2005/06.” The EcoCampus Platinum award follows on from Birmingham City University receiving a First Class Honours in 2012 in the People and Planet University Green League table, published in the Guardian newspaper.

university receives green awardBirmingham City University has become one of ten UK universities to be awarded the EcoCampus Platinum award, marking the institution’s achievements in improving environmental performance and practice. EcoCampus is the leading national environment management system and award scheme for the higher and further education sectors, enabling universities to identify, evaluate, manage and improve their environmental activity and duties.

The EcoCampus Platinum award is the equivalent to achieving the International Standard 14001,

www.ecocampus.co.uk. + For More Information


Percentage of packaging recycled, by cityCardiff 66%Nottingham 61%Newcastle 60%Brighton 60%London 59%Bristol 56%Liverpool 54%Birmingham 54%Manchester 53%Edinburgh 50%

Cardiff named as Britain’s greenest city Plus older people put the young to shame in recycling stats

The recycling habits of the people of Cardiff have put the city at number one in a new top ten list of the UK’s Greenest Cities. In a poll by leading packaging company, Nampak Plastics, residents of the Welsh capital claimed to recycle two thirds (66%) of their household waste – comfortably ahead of runner up Nottingham (61%) and joint third-place Brighton and Newcastle (both 60%).

The top ten cities across the country for the amount of household packaging recycled were:

On a broader scale, the research also threw up some interesting statistics. Although many people may think of it as a modern trend, the survey of over 2,000 adults showed that people over 55 actually recycle the highest percentage of household waste, with 16-25 year olds scoring the lowest.

While those in the over-55 age group recycle two thirds (67%) of their packaging, across the 16-25 year old group this drops to under half – just 47%. Men are worse than women at recycling, achieving an average of 55% compared to women’s 58%.

And while some items of packaging, such as plastic milk bottles, are widely recycled (80%), the figures also highlighted that wider awareness of the most eco-friendly forms of packaging may be needed among consumers. Almost three tenths (28%) of Brits still don’t factor the carbon footprint of a product’s packaging into their choice of purchase.

PHS Datashred acquires Exeter based Phoenix ShreddingPHS Datashred has expanded its geographical reach in the South West with the acquisition of Exeter-based Phoenix Shredding.

Anthony Pearlgood, commercial director of PHS Datashred, said:

“We are experiencing rising demand for our services in the data destruction sector and we continue to expand our business organically and through acquisition. We know that Phoenix Shredding is a strong business with loyal customers and a good workforce and we’re pleased we now have a stronghold in the Exeter area. We can now offer customers in Exeter and Devon a more flexible range of services including both on and off site shredding, recycling and waste disposal services and offer a complete national network of depots.”

Ian Graham founded Phoenix Shredding. His son Lee Graham is staying on with the business as manager of PHS Datashred in Exeter. He said: “We’re proud of the business

we have built up in Exeter and the surrounding areas and this deal with PHS Datashred means our staff and customers will benefit and we will benefit from the advantages of being part of a major national player in the market.”

Each year, identity fraud in the UK costs more than £2.7bn and affects over 1.8 million people, according to recent figures from the National Fraud

Authority (NFA). To help combat this, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) now has the power to impose fines of up to £500,000 to businesses and organisations that are guilty of serious Data Protection Act breaches. As the threat of identity fraud increases and the punishments for negligent practices become increasingly severe, the need for businesses to be more vigilant about their data destruction is ever growing.


© Mark Priest

© Mark Priest

First phase of major shark & ray conservation project complete15-hour days, 22 manta rays tagged and 40 monitors installed across 130 kilometres of seabed: a team from Equipe Cousteau and The Deep reveal the progress made in their first expedition to Sudan to protect one of the ocean’s most endangered species.

During a four-week mission to the Dungonab Bay Marine Park and offshore reefs at the end of last year, a group of scientists - lead by marine biologists, Nigel Hussey and Steven Kessel from the University of Windsor and Ocean Tracking Network (Canada) - undertook state-of-the-art fieldwork to complete the first stage of a unique shark and ray conservation and management project.

It was the first time scientists have been deployed in the Sudanese Red Sea to help safeguard the future of the endangered manta ray, prepare the road for future missions on Sudan’s shark populations and support the development of marine protected areas. A team of a dozen experts working with Equipe Cousteau and aquarists from The Deep, worked alongside local representatives of the Wildlife Conservation General Administration, The Red Sea State Government and local fishermen to successfully and humanely tag several manta rays with satellite, acoustic and GPS tags.

Monitoring the species will generate essential baseline information on the manta ray populations and produce the critical foundation block in establishing an effective conservation strategy to protect this globally iconic species. Manta rays are highly vulnerable, and are designated as a near-threatened species; populations grow very gradually and are slow to recover once depleted.

In this first mission, the team successfully tagged and released 22 manta rays (with a mix of acoustic and satellite tags). For the first time ever in the world, internal implantation of acoustic tags and dorsal fin attachments of satellite tags was used. Tagged manta rays will be followed through an acoustic monitor array established during the mission. Satellite tags will allow the scientific team to track manta rays movements on a regional scale,and genetic sampling of a large number of individuals will help to better understand species and population structure.

To date, the satellite-tagged manta rays have remained in a relatively small area within the boundaries of the Dungonab Marine Park, but have made larger movements to regions where they were not previously observed. This preliminary data suggest that Dungonab may be an effective marine park for the protection of this species and their daily movements will continue to be tracked for the next 10 months. Initial genetic analyses have surprisingly shown that many of the manta rays could potentially be giant mantas (M. birostris) rather than the coastal manta (M. alfredi) as previously documented.

During their stay close to a village with a population of just 300, the team endured physical extremities including soaring temperatures of 40°C. It remained so hot at night they had to sleep outside under the stars and they dived to depths of 40 metres in an ocean registering 33°C on the surface. They also witnessed awe-inspiring sites including a manta ray so large its wingspan measured 3.61 metres!

Ben Jones, Senior Aquarist at The Deep said, “We achieved everything we set out to do during this first leg including installing research equipment, studying manta rays and examining feeding sites. This is a monumental step forward in the conservation of this rare and endangered species and The Deep is proud to be a part of such a pioneering project. We are looking forward to returning later in the year to carry out essential maintenance of the ground-breaking technology and analyse initial results to help protect this important animal and the region.”

The expert team will return to Sudan once a year over the next four years to collect data on this key component of the world’s marine biodiversity of which little is known. A second field mission is planned for early 2013, focused on threatened shark species in the region, grey reef and scalloped hammerhead sharks. Because certain sharks and ray species are facing global human threats, a success story in the Sudanese Red Sea provides a ray of hope for our better understanding and protection of these magnificent animals.


New food redistribution industry working group is launchedRetailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, charities and other industry bodies have joined forces to explore and support ways to increase the amount of surplus food made available for delivery to those in need, building on the good work already being undertaken.

The new industry working group met for the first time to discuss the current systems, and assess possible solutions that could increase the UK’s food redistribution, in order to start building a plan of action.

Representing the sector and participating in the first working group meeting were:

• 2 Sisters Food Group

• ASDA

• Booker Ltd

• Boots UK

• British Retail Consortium - representing the interests of the sector

• Company Shop

• FareShare

• Food and Drink Federation - representing the interests of the sector

• FoodCycle

• His Church

• IGD

• innocent drinks

• Kellogg’s

• The Co-operative

• Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC

• Waste & Resources Action Programme

Progress from the group will be provided later in the year.

Andy Dawe, Head of Food and Drink at WRAP and Chair of the industry working group, said: “Preventing waste arising not only saves money in tough economic times but also provides environmental savings. Where there is a surplus of food it is important to make sure it’s being used in the best possible way. The cost of food is rising, and this means that some of the most vulnerable groups in society sometimes struggle to afford food. Increasing food redistribution will help the poorest in society and prevent perfectly good food from going to waste, along with all that went into making it. By tackling this with key players across the supply chain we can collectively discover what works and what doesn’t to find the best solutions that we hope will lead to increased redistribution.”

Resource management Minister Lord de Mauley said: “Preventing food waste protects the environment and makes good business sense. Surplus food is an inevitable part of a secure supply chain and this is an excellent means of putting it to good use. I welcome the launch of this working group and look forward to hearing of its progress later this year.

Practices used in certified forests help improve biodiversity confirms RSPB study

Forestry practices, such as clear-felling and replanting, coppicing, and even widening roads and enlarging glades, can all have a positive effect on biodiversity in commercial forests, confirms a study commissioned by the Alliance of Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK.

According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which undertook the desk-based study, these practices can help support a range of biodiversity, which wouldn’t be present if forests were planted as large monocultures and left unmanaged.

However, the study also highlights gaps in existing research, such as: a lack of data on the magnitude of additional benefits that can be derived from partaking in forest certification schemes; and a need for more research into the effectiveness of forest management for biodiversity enhancement that is aimed at specific groups of species.

The research, which was commissioned by ACE UK, reviewed published sources, to understand the sustainable forest management and planning practices, set out in the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS), and their impacts on biodiversity. In the UK, sustainable forestry can be independently certified by two schemes: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Both use UKWAS for their audits.

While the cartons made by ACE UK members – Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc – are made primarily from wood from Nordic forests, as opposed to UK forests, as part of its continued commitment to environmental responsibility, the beverage carton industry was keen to support the RSPB in furthering understanding of the contribution of commercial forestry to biodiversity in Britain and Ireland, as well as how biodiversity can be improved.

Accsys Scoops Best Wood Innovation Award for 2012Accoya® and Tricoya® win Dutch top innovation awards from Houtwereld

Accoya and Tricoya have been named the Best Wood Innovation in Holland’s Houtwereld 2012 Top Suppliers Awards. The awards, now in their fifth year, celebrate commitment to quality and excellence within the timber industry. Over 2,700 votes were cast by Dutch and Belgian professionals, as well as members of the import, trade, carpentry, manufacturing and construction industries and readers of Houtwereld. They recognised Accsys Technologies, manufacturer of Accoya and Tricoya wood elements, for its truly innovative approach to timber and wood based panels, as well as its pioneering technology.

Accoya is one of the most advanced wood products on the market, using leading wood modification technology to deliver outstanding levels of performance, stability and durability. It is created by using a proprietary non-toxic process called acetylation on sustainably sourced woods. This results in an attractive wood which matches or exceeds the properties of tropical hardwood, and which is perfect for a variety of uses including windows, doors, external cladding, decking and inspirational structural projects.

Paul Clegg, CEO at Accsys Technologies, said: “It’s a real credit to see Accoya and Tricoya recognised amongst the best in the timber industry. This is the latest in a string of awards for Accoya, which has also recently won the Supreme Innovation Award at this year’s Timber Expo in the UK, and been awarded gold standard of Cradle to Cradle certification.”


First targeted coastal flood warning service launched for east coast of Scotland 28 flood warning areas stretch around firths of Forth and Tay: from Eyemouth to Arbroath

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has launched Scotland’s first targeted coastal flood warning service for the firths of Forth and Tay.

Twenty-eight new flood warning areas have been set up along estuaries on the east coast of Scotland, stretching from Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders to Arbroath in Angus.

The new schemes are a major development of SEPA’s successful Floodline service, which has seen over 14,000 people sign up since its launch less than two years ago.

Coastal flooding has affected many communities along the east coast of Scotland in recent years, particularly Kirkcaldy, Musselburgh and Arbroath. There are 125,000 properties at risk from flooding in Scotland which is 1 in 22 homes and 1 in 13 businesses.

Now anyone in the 28 coastal areas – including those who live in, work or travel through them – can sign up and receive advance coastal flood warnings direct to their phone 24 hours a day. This will give people valuable time to take action to protect their families, homes and businesses from the damage flooding can cause. It also allows people travelling through affected areas to make alternative travel arrangements if their usual travel routes have been disrupted.

A campaign is being launched by meteorologist and TV weatherman Sean Batty to encourage those living in the 28 coastal areas to sign up to receive free advance warnings from Floodline. This includes advertising and letters sent to householders.

People can sign up to receive flood warning messages at www.sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup or by calling 0845 988 1188.

SEPA’s top tips: during a flood, make sure you

• Do not try to walk, drive or swim through a flood

• Do not walk on sea defences, riverbanks or across river bridges

• Avoid any form of direct contact with flood water

• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires

• Pay attention to flood warnings and updates from Floodline

• Have a flood plan which can be put into practice

http://www.sepa.org.uk/flooding/dealing_with_a_flood/during_a_flood.aspx


LHNE project will create network of hydrogen fuelling stations and deliver new hydrogen vehicles

A consortium of companies with expertise in hydrogen transport infrastructure have announced they will begin work on the three year LHNE (London Hydrogen Network Expansion) project, a government-backed initiative co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board to create the UK’s first hydrogen powered transport system across London and the South East.

The consortium, led by Air Products, will deliver a publicly accessible, state-of-the-art fast-fill 700 bar renewable hydrogen fuelling station network. LHNE will also deploy new hydrogen vehicles in London, including a number of Hyundai hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and Revolve hydrogen powered vans.

Creating this network is particularly important because the major car manufacturers have

as we prepare for the arrival in the UK of commercially available hydrogen vehicles. We hope that this project will act as an exciting demonstration model to be replicated across the UK and Europe in years to come. Air Products is delighted to be leading this project which represents a significant milestone in the development of the UK’s hydrogen fuelling infrastructure for hydrogen transport.”

The LHNE consortium comprises Air Products, Cenex, Commercial Group, Element Energy, Heathrow Airport Ltd and Revolve Technologies Ltd and the project is co-funded by a grant from the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board. It is one of five research and development projects selected by the Technology Strategy Board in 2012 to help accelerate the adoption of energy systems using hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, bringing them into everyday use. The Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority will play a supporting role in the project.

confirmed that the hydrogen vehicles available for purchase in the UK from 2014/15 require 700 bar fuelling systems. The LHNE project will upgrade the existing fuelling station located near Heathrow Airport to 700 bar and deliver a brand new fuelling station with this specification in London. In addition, the project will increase accessibility to the dual pressure fuelling station at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, and the Transport for London station in Stratford. These developments will create the first network of 700 bar fuelling stations in the UK, ready to meet an increasing demand for hydrogen fuel. The functionality of this network will then be proved by a fleet of hydrogen vans which will be operated by Commercial Group as part of their delivery network.

Diana Raine, Air Products, European Business Manager Hydrogen Energy said: “The LHNE project will bring together all the components necessary to make hydrogen transport possible across London and the South East

UK’s first integrated hydrogen transport system to be built in London and South East


Opower’s utility Programs Save Two TWhs Of Energy for CustomersEnough Savings to Power the London Underground Network for the Next 20 Months Opower, the global leader in customer engagement solutions for the utility industry, has announced a major company milestone - it has saved residential energy customers 2 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy through its behaviour-based efficiency platform. Saving 2TWh is equivalent to taking 500,000 homes, or a city the size of Sheffield, off the grid for a full year. Alex Laskey, Opower president and founder, made the announcement at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “Saving 2TWh is a significant and exciting milestone for Opower and we share this accomplishment with all our utility partners,” said Laskey. “We achieved this only 9 months after reaching 1 TWh of energy saved. We’re building incredible momentum and to date have saved families and businesses more than £139m. Opower is committed to working with our utility partners to implement effective programs that save customers energy and money, and give homeowners the tools and insights needed to better manage their energy consumption.”

Opower’s platform provides residential customers with information on how their energy usage compares to similar homes, and offers personalised tips on how to save energy. Opower’s customer engagement platform, Opower 4, offers many customer touch points, including home energy reports, web portals, SMS alerts and IVRs. This coordinated content approach has consistently been proven to increase customer sentiment and increase energy efficiency, making Opower an essential component of utility’s efficiency programs.

Mouchel awarded a place on national local government consulting frameworkInternational infrastructure and business services group Mouchel has been awarded a place on the new Pro5 National Consultancy Services Framework run by the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO). Mouchel won a place on seven of the eight lots that it bid for, bringing together its highways and environmental infrastructure capabilities with its property, education and social care skills. The framework will be in place for a period of two years, with an option to extend thereafter for a further two years.

ESPO was the lead body for the framework procurement process on behalf of the Pro5 Group. With a joint buying power of over £3bn per annum, Pro5 Group is a collaborative of the main Professional Buying Organisations and the wider public sector in the UK. This framework covers all main areas concerning professional consulting in local government and is open to all public sector bodies.

Best in class BRE green guide rating for knauf insulation’s polyfoam eco

After extensive testing by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Knauf Insulation’s Polyfoam® ECO range of extruded polystyrene products has achieved a certified BRE Green Guide Rating of “A”. The Polyfoam ECO range are the only extruded polystyrene products to be independently assessed by the BRE allowing specifiers to have the utmost confidence that the products provide a proven sustainable solution.

Polyfoam ECO is in an unrivalled position, as all other extruded polystyrene products currently available in the market have a BRE Generic Green Guide rating of “E”. This is in addition to the many other benefits offered by the Polyfoam ECO range such as zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 5.

Polyfoam ECO is free from CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs and any other material with ozone depletion potential in its manufacture and content, as well as being 100% recyclable. Maria Morgan, Product Manager, Foam Products at Knauf Insulation, comments: “Sustainability is a key market driver for construction projects and as such we are constantly looking to enhance the environmental performance of our products. What’s more, we are committed to providing specifiers with proven third party verification of our products’ performance. BRE testing is a robust procedure in which the product, as well as the manufacturing process and materials, are closely scrutinised, resulting in a trusted and independently verified rating – which we feel is an extremely positive endorsement of our product.”

Truvia® brand demonstrates its commitment to reducing its environmental impacts by achieving carbon footprint certification with the Carbon TrustThe Truvia® business announced that its calorie-free sweetener is the first stevia-based sweetener to be awarded product carbon footprint certification. The certification arm of the UK-based Carbon Trust has certified the total greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of the supply chain, including cultivation, processing, packaging, transpor,t and use and disposal. The makers of Truvia® sweetener worked with the Carbon Trust to certify its carbon footprint and verify its waste and water footprints throughout its supply chain. The certified metrics are part of an action plan to manage the carbon footprint of the Truvia® stevia leaf extract, in order to become carbon neutral by 2020. Since the baseline assessment was conducted in 2011, the business has already reduced the CO²-equivalent per metric ton of “sweet” by 35% during the second recorded period ending December 2012, resulting primarily from improvements made to the leaf extraction process. These findings indicate the business is on track to deliver on its interim 2015 milestone goals.

Under the certification, the business has signed up to use the carbon reduction label in the future. By displaying this label, which in this case covers UK, USA, Mexico, Spain, France, Italy, the Truvia® brand is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its sweetener over a two year period. In 2010, the Truvia® business made a number of sustainability pledges. Commitments include:

• To reduce its carbon footprint by 50% in 2015 from a 2010 baseline to become carbon neutral in 2020

• To ensure all processed water is returned to the same quality in which it was taken and reduce net depletion by 25% by 2020

• To reduce waste by 50% across the supply chain in 2015 in efforts to become zero waste by 2020.


Proper consumer targeting key to green take-up says EST chief

A third of householders receiving irrelevant marketing information every DAY

UK housing databank enables targeting of the right homes

UK homeowners are being sent inappropriately targeted marketing information across different industries every DAY, according to exclusive research from the Energy Saving Trust.

A third are receiving junk mail, cold calls, spam emails or calls from salesmen daily, while 80% are receiving this information at least once a week.

The Energy Saving Trust can enable more accurate consumer targeting from companies offering green measures. This advice comes a month after the Office of Fair Trading wrote to over 50 of the leading double glazing, insulation and solar panel companies, asking them to ensure they are providing consistently good standards to consumers as part of a drive to raise compliance standards across the energy efficiency sector.

This follows the launch of the Green Deal, an innovative new government financing mechanism which enables people to pay for energy-efficiency improvements through savings on their energy bills.

Philip Sellwood, chief executive at the Energy Saving Trust, said: “There is clearly a market out there for green measures, but the key to selling them effectively is targeting, targeting, targeting. Catching homeowners at the right time with the right energy efficiency measure for their home has always been crucial for businesses, and will continue to be the case under Green Deal. This will not only build consumer trust through sending information relevant to them, but also save businesses money through more efficient marketing.

We have extensive and detailed information on what is happening with the UK’s housing stock, and where. Our team of experts know which energy saving improvements have been made in certain areas, and which areas still require upgrades that could benefit the homeowner. This information can prevent companies wasting time on a ‘spray and pray’ approach.”

The IPSOS Mori survey of more than 2,000 UK adult householders, conducted between 28 September and 2 October 2012, found there is high demand for energy efficiency measures, despite 1 in 5 homeowners being confused about what to buy. Those consumers are increasingly turning to trusted organisations like the Energy Saving Trust to look for a ‘stamp of approval’ before installing these measures.

The survey found 39% of homeowners say they have an interest in installing a boiler with a better energy rating. Just under half (44%) say they have an interest in installing double glazing, while 45% of UK households are interested in fitting insulation to their home.

Further findings from the IPSOS Mori poll revealed that when it comes to energy efficiency advice half of people had been approached by phone, 37% through direct mail, 36% through a salesman calling and 16% through email.

Green Deal, which launches in January, is a new UK Government financing mechanism designed to help householders and businesses increase the energy efficiency of UK properties.

Green Deal enables private firms to offer consumers energy efficiency improvements to their homes, community spaces and businesses with no upfront payments. Costs are recouped through the savings made on energy bills, with money passed on direct to Green Deal providers by energy companies.

Businesses interested in working with the Energy Saving Trust should visit the website at http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Organisations/Green-Deal/Identifying-your-market-home-analytics or contact [email protected]

Homeowners wanting more information on saving energy at home can visit http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ or call the Energy Saving Trust’s helpline on 0300 123 1234.


uK-manufactured small wind turbine receives full certification from US Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC)Evance R9000 is one of only four turbines to achieve full certification

Evance Wind Turbines, a world leading manufacturer of small wind turbines, is delighted to announce that its 5kW R9000 turbine has achieved full certification from the Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) – the US independent body that certifies small turbines that meet or exceed its performance and safety requirements. The UK-designed and manufactured Evance R9000 successfully passed rigorous safety, function, performance and durability testing, in accordance with the AWEA Standard, to become one of only four turbines to achieve full certification from the SWCC.

Kevin Parslow, CEO of Evance Wind Turbines: “It is great news that we have received full SWCC certification for our R9000 turbine. There are R9000 small wind turbines installed across some 17 US states, and we’re looking to expand this significantly during 2013. Our US customers already know our turbine is highly efficient and durable, however it’s good to receive independent confirmation from the SWCC – not only promoting consumer confidence and industry credibility, but also helping to establish pathways to qualify for incentives.”

The Evance R9000 – the UK’s small wind turbine of choice – was also one of the first small wind turbines to be fully certified under the UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) in July 2010.


Evolution in very large populations of plants, animals or fungi can be predicted far less easily than one would expect. This has been shown by research at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of the University of Cologne and the Laboratory of Genetics at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR (published in the January 9 issue of PNAS, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA). The researchers combined genetic information from a fungus with computer models which simulate the course of evolution. They concluded that, while evolution in small populations is known to be unpredictable, this is also the case for very large populations. There is an optimal population size for predicting evolutionary outcomes in every situation.

Evolution is exciting – you never know exactly what the result will be. Over time, mutations resulting in improved fitness have a good chance of surviving in a population. Mutations which decrease fitness, on the other hand, are much less likely to ultimately remain in a significant part of the population and thus influence the development of the species. But there are no safe bets, even for beneficial mutations.

Researchers would like to know whether - and if so how - evolution can be predicted. For instance, one can, in retrospect, ask whether it could have been predicted that giraffes with long necks would eventually develop on earth through evolution. Researchers consider the question of the predictability of evolution either theoretically, using computer models, or practically, via research in nature or in the laboratory. In the laboratory, the predictability of evolution can, for example, be examined by monitoring how often fast-evolving microorganisms evolve along the same route. The more often the route and end result are the same, the more predictable evolution can be considered to be.

The Dutch-German team merged the two techniques, combining a laboratory approach with computer models. The Wageningen group used its laboratory to provide knowledge about the fitness profile of a fungus. All 256 possible combinations of eight mutations in various places in the DNA of the fungus were charted. The scientists calculated the effect on the growth of the fungus for each combination of mutations. The growth rate is an important component of the fitness of the fungus. Mutations with a positive effect on growth rates therefore have a greater chance of remaining definitively established after a large number of new generations. The likelihood is not one hundred percent, however.

In small populations, it is likely that each positive mutation that occurs accidentally will ultimately contribute to the evolution of the organism. The larger the population, the more positive mutations will arise, and the greater the chance will be that the best possible positive mutation is among them. And, as individuals with this mutation will be the fittest, it will repeatedly win the competition and contribute to evolution when the experiment is repeated. This means that, the larger a population, the more predictable its evolution should become. But this turns out to not quite be the case.

The German group processed the fitness data regarding the mutations of the Wageningen mould in a computer. They discovered that the evolutionary outcome is actually more difficult to predict in very large populations. This phenomenon is caused by the fact that they contain more individuals with not one but two or more mutations. Since the number of beneficial mutation combinations is much higher than the number of favourable mutations themselves, however, the predictability of evolution again declines in very large populations. In other words, evolution can be most easily predicted for populations that are not too small and not too big.

Optimal population size allows maximum predictability of evolution

(although the emergence of giraffes with long necks could not have been foreseen)

German Energy Storage Association establishedNew umbrella organization for the further development of energy storage represents the growing sector and speeds up the development of a stable energy storage market in Germany.

The current revolution in the energy industry towards the use of increasing amounts of renewable energy requires the targeted use of energy storage systems to guarantee security of supply and to keep the energy costs for industrial companies and consumers as low as possible. To represent the growing energy storage industry sector, at the end of September 2012 the German Energy Storage Association (Bundesverband Energiespeicher (BVES)) was established in Berlin. Its goal is to bring together the relevant decision makers in the sector, to offer expertise to policy makers and the public, to speed up the development of the market and to build a strong contact network. Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, Speaker of the Fraunhofer-Alliance Energy and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg, assumed the office of Founding President of the BVES. “Our association envisages its mission as establishing energy storage as an energy resource along with the conventional and renewable energy supply in order to introduce more efficient, reliable, low-cost and safe energy ressources. To fulfil this vision we want to support the development of a stable energy storage market in Germany, which will then also serve as a model for additional markets in Europe and worldwide,” continued Prof. Dr. Weber.

All companies which are involved in the production, planning, sale and operation of energy storage solutions are invited to become member companies. The interest group that is supported and represented by its members is committed to the further development of energy storage in the areas of politics, educational work, consulting and research. The work of the BVES will also involve the provision of industry information to members, as well as pushing ahead the coordination of development activities for energy storage systems in different applications. As one of its next work steps, the Association is planning to create an “Energy Storage Roadmap” in which a clear position for the role of energy storage systems in the energy revolution, the ‘Energiewende’ in Germany will be defined. Further work will be agreed upon at the occasion of the first meeting of members on March 19th, 2013 in Düsseldorf, within the scope of the Energy Storage – International Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies.

Managing Director of the German Energy Storage Association is Dr. Harald Binder, who has worked in a wide range of international managerial positions, most recently as Vice President and General Manager of Applied Materials. Dr. Harald Binder is an active member of the board of trustees of the Institute of Microelectronics (IMS) in Stuttgart as well as Chairman SEMI Europe PV Group


Kebony’s KREOD chosen as Ecobuild media and visitor centreKebony will once again exhibit its award-winning alternative to tropical hardwood at Ecobuild, 5–7 March 2013. This innovative Norwegian Cleantech 100 company will not only exhibit its impressive product range at stand S925 but its latest project - KREOD – will form the eye-catching media and visitor centre for the show at stand N3040.

KREOD is London’s newest architectural landmark: a visually-striking sculpture made of Kebony and the brainchild of Chun Qing Li, Managing Director of Pavilion Architecture. Following a stint at Peninsula Square (between the Emirates Air Line and The O2 Arena), KREOD will be used as the press and visitor centre for Ecobuild – hosting daily talks on its pioneering design and state-of-the-art technology.

Organic in form, environmentally-friendly and inspired by nature, KREOD resembles three seeds and consists of three pods that combine through a series of interlocking hexagons to create an enclosed structure that can be combined in a variety of configurations. Each pod is formed of a staggering 1,000 individual pieces of wood cut precisely to an accuracy and tolerance of 0.02mm.

Meanwhile, at stand S925 Kebony will exhibit its award-winning alternative to tropical hardwood and preservative treated wood. A non-toxic, easily maintained, beautiful and environmentally-friendly wood, Kebony is resistant to decay and cost effective due to its durability and long lifespan.

In recognition of its green credentials, Kebony AS was named as one of the world’s most promising clean technology companies in the Global Cleantech 100, both in 2010 and 2011, in competition with more than 3,000 companies from 50 countries. Kebony also received Deloitte’s ‘Fast 50 Award’, was cited as one of the top 50 companies that could change our world in 2010, alongside being cited by CNBC as a top 25 creative European Company. Kebony also received the Nordic region’s the Swan and Glass Bear awards and numerous UK industry awards, including the 2012 Cleantech Connect ‘top 50 fastest growing companies’ and the Best Business Award in 2012.

Commenting on this year’s Ecobuild Jan Terje Nielsen, Kebony’s Director of Marketing says: “Ecobuild is a very important industry-event and we are delighted to not only exhibit but have one of our recent projects showcased. KREOD is an architectural masterpiece and a superb example of sustainable innovation. We encourage all those visiting this year’s Ecobuild to take a look at KREOD and attend our programme of talks.”


KBC Logistics Saving up to £1000 in fuel per month by cutting idling GreenRoad™, the leader in driver performance management, has announced that KBC Logistics is expanding its use across their entire fleet. Since deploying GreenRoad in 20 HGVs in August 2012 with the support of its insurer, Towergate Underwriting, KBC Logistics has cut fuel consumption by 15% on top of savings of between £600 and £1,000 a month achieved by minimising idling.

In the first six weeks, KBC Logistics drivers’ risk dropped by 66%. Since then the risk has dropped further alongside a corresponding reduction in crashes and reduced vehicle wear and tear. KBC Logistics estimates that one month’s fuel savings alone will cover the annual cost of its subscription - a return of £12 for every £1 invested.

“With today’s tight budgets we would never have considered investing in a risk management system. But Towergate insisted we use GreenRoad and paid for its use in 20 lorries,” said Dave Ashford, Transport & Compliance manager and KBC Logistics director.

The idling feature is delivering fuel savings of between £600 and £1000 a month. GreenRoad-provided insight revealed that drivers were typically idling for 230 hours a month. By highlighting needless idling, such as when drivers are sitting in a lay-by with the engine running, KBC Logistics has cut this figure to less than 35 hours.

The service also enables Ashford to keep a close watch on driver speed awareness, particularly on national speed limit roads. He commented, “I use it to analyse where the speeding occurs and its duration. I can then educate the driver in line with my responsibilities as an operator license holder.In one example a driver was achieving a 72mph downhill overrun on a 50mph limit road, which is wholly unacceptable. Without GreenRoad I would be totally unaware of the risks to the business.”

AQE 2013 announces partnership with IAQMAQE 2013, the Air Quality & Emissions Show (formerly ‘MCERTS’) has announced a partnership with The Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM), which organiser Marcus Pattison says “will make a major contribution to the new expanded remit for the event, which now includes all aspects of ambient air quality in addition to its traditional focus on industrial emissions”.

Roger Barrowcliffe, Chairman of the IAQM, believes that air quality is an environmental issue which concerns many members of the public and represents an outstanding problem for government at all levels. He says: “Despite consistent progress in reducing emissions from industry and road transport, we have not yet achieved universal compliance with the standards and guidelines we use to protect the health of humans and ecosystems. To make more progress we need to increase our understanding of the problems and to utilise even better techniques in our management of air quality. The AQE show provides a timely forum to keep air quality professionals in touch with the latest technology and to exchange ideas with their peers. The IAQM strongly supports events of this kind, which facilitate professional development and positive

interaction between members of the air quality community. As an active air quality professional, I look forward to participating in the AQE Show and meeting other people with an interest in our subject.”

AQE 2013 will take place at the International Centre in Telford, UK, on 13th and 14th March. In common with the previous MCERTS events, AQE 2013 will also include 50 free walk-in/walk-out workshops and an international exhibition featuring the majority of the world’s leading organisations in air quality and emissions monitoring products and services.

The ambient air monitoring conference on Wednesday 13th March has been recognised by the IAQM as valuable Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for its members and other air quality professionals.

For visitors that pre-register at www.AQEshow.com, entry to the exhibition and workshops is free of charge, and also includes complimentary parking, food and refreshments.

Entrance to the AQE 2013 conferences will cost £55 per day or £100 for both days.

Atmos Consulting awarded Scottish Natural Heritage site condition monitoring contractAtmos Consulting is celebrating winning a contract to monitor site conditions for upland breeding birds at six of Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) designated sites across the Highlands. The Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) included in the contract are Beinn a’ Ghlo, Coire Bhachdaidh, Eastern Cairngorms, Glen Callater, Morven & Mullachdubh and Creag Meagaidh. The project will be managed from Atmos Consulting’s Inverness and Edinburgh offices.

Symbolic for many people of Scotland’s wild uplands, the golden eagle is a powerful and agile hunter and the best known of the protected species. Yet Scotland’s extensive areas of uplands and moorlands also support a range of species found in few other places. Parts of the uplands are also of national and international importance for their concentrations of breeding waders, including golden plover and dunlin, while the high mountain tops are home to rare breeding species including dotterel and ptarmigan.

Key to the SNH decision to appoint Atmos was the consultancy’s extensive experience in field ornithology; field work to benchmark current conditions is naturally an integral part of the contract. Atmos also demonstrated a pragmatic approach to consulting with local stakeholders including raptor study groups and the RSPB, which will be consulted to capture the immeasurable wealth of knowledge and information they have. This is combined with the consultancy’s 18-strong team of field ecologists’ ability to put boots on the ground where no reliable historical data exists. Atmos was able to bid for the contract through its inclusion on the SCM (site condition monitoring) Framework Agreement.


The stage is set for the Energy Efficiency & Renewables AwardsWith Greg Barker on board, the best awards in UK construction evolve to embrace energy efficiency.

Designed to inspire industry to greater heights, the Energy Efficiency & Renewables Awards are returning to the Ricoh Arena this September.

Previously known as the Renewables Awards, this year’s show will be introduced by the Minister of State for Climate Change, Greg Barker, and will benefit businesses that are looking to advance their credentials in the energy efficiency and renewables sector.

On the evening, guests are guaranteed a genuinely exceptional evening at an event which has boasted high-quality entertainment from Michael McIntyre and Omid Djalili and has been hosted by Gabby Logan and Julia Bradbury in recent years. Event organiser, Dan Caesar, promises a first class line-up again this Autumn: “We pride ourselves on our investment in high-profile hosts for our awards, which is just one of the reasons why in two short years, our awards are already recognised as the ones worth winning. With Greg Barker on board already and with big names from the entertainment industry to follow, it’s the best evening in the UK construction sector, bar none.”

If your business is serious about staking its claim in the fast-growing energy efficiency market, then the value of being shortlisted should not be underestimated, while the value of winning an award is priceless. As well as an excellent array of awards for products, projects and installers, for the first time this year’s categories are also including energy efficiency installers that specialise in glazing, insulation and lighting.

Nomination packs are available from Friday March 1st, while the deadline for submissions will be Friday May 31st, and the categories are as follows:

• Contribution to Energy Efficiency• Commercial Project• Residential New Build Project• Residential Retrofit Project• Energy Efficient Client• Energy Efficient Initiative• Training Initiative• Rising Star• Green Innovation• Glazing Installer NEW!• Insulation Installer NEW!• Low-Energy Lighting Installer NEW!• Heat Efficient Installer• Water Efficient Installer• Biomass Installer• Solar PV Installer• Solar Thermal Installer• Air Source Installer• Ground Source Installer• Commercial Installer• Energy Efficient Installer

The Energy Efficiency & Renewables Awards take place at the Ricoh Arena in the Midlands on Thursday 12th September.

PuMA Launches InCycle, The Brand’s First “Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Basic” Collection of Biodegradable and Recyclable ProductsGlobal Sportlifestyle company PUMA launches InCycle, the brand’s first closed-loop collection of footwear, apparel and accessories, all of which have earned the “Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Basic” certification. PUMA’s InCycle products are entirely biodegradable or recyclable. This product introduction is another important step in PUMA’s mission to become the most sustainable and desirable Sportlifestyle company.

The PUMA InCycle Collection was born from PUMA’s challenge to produce a fully recyclable or biodegradable collection as part of the learning journey to improve the sustainability of its products. PUMA collaborated with EPEA, to develop the collection, whose mission it is to help companies fulfill the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s criteria for the design of ecologically and intelligently designed products. All products in the InCycle collection have been certified by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, whose mission is to provide a continuous improvement quality program to guide product manufacturers and designers in making safe and healthy products for our world. Cradle to Cradle has created a rigorous certification program that rates products against 5 sustainability factors: 1) the use of environmentally safe and healthy materials; 2) design for material reutilization including recycling and composting; 3) renewable energy and management of carbon; 4) water stewardship; and 5) social fairness.

The PUMA InCycle collection can be broken down using one of two processes: the Technical Cycle or the Biological Cycle. Materials within the Biological Cycle can be broken down by microorganisms into biological nutrients and will go back into the earth, thus making them biodegradable. Materials found within the Technical Cycle — such as metals, textiles, and plastics — can then be used to create new products.

www.energyefficiencyexhibitions.co.uk/awardswww.renewables-roadshow.co.uk/awards



Parks and people a match made in heavenThis year’s national Love Parks Week will take place from Saturday 27th July to Sunday 4th August, coinciding with the first week of the school holidays. Love Parks Week, now in its 7th year, has always aimed to raise awareness of the importance of parks and green spaces, through highlighting the countless benefits they bring and proving the need for continual investment and engagement. This year the campaign will ramp up its fight for parks and will inspire people to love their park all year round, not just during summer.

Paul Bramhill, CEO of charity GreenSpace, highlights the current situation for parks: “In spite of abundant research proving the health, social and environmental value of green space, and surveys citing parks as top commodities for residents and visitor numbers soaring, local authority budgets continue to reduce for parks and green spaces.” He requested: “If you value your local park or green space now is the time to get involved, parks need people more than ever.”

Recognising the threat to parks and the community behind Love Parks Week, Big Lottery Fund is awarding £416,450 to GreenSpace to develop ‘Love Parks’ which will work to empower communities to become confident local champions at the heart of protecting, conserving and improving local green space. Training resources and networking will equip volunteer groups across England with the knowledge that they need to work with their local managing authorities and on the challenges ahead, such as declining standards and reduced commitment to maintaining activity programmes.

Nat Sloane, England Chair of the Big Lottery Fund says: “The grant awarded to GreenSpace today not only demonstrates BIG’s commitment to support unique and innovative community projects in England but also our ongoing commitment in this area. We hope that this project will ensure that parks are still there for the next generation to benefit from and enjoy by bringing whole communities closer together and giving them the tools they need to protect their local green space.”

By getting involved with the campaign, you will be helping to drive the message that our parks and green spaces are essential to healthy, happy and strong communities.

www.loveparksweek.org.uk+ For More Information


This March, innovators from across the world will congregate at Innovate UK. This leading, business networking event will bring together 4,000 people from UK and international business, Government and academia. British innovation will be at the heart of the conversation.

Of eight priority sectors, energy is one sector that will be receiving particular attention, with a number of heavy hitters already signed up to speak, including Dr Paul Upham, Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Earth & Environment; Dr Ed Brown, Chair of the Low Carbon Energy for Development Network; and Chris Bagley, Director of the Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network. Joining them will be attendees and exhibitors from some of the most cutting edge energy companies in the UK and beyond including ITM Power, Liquid Air Energy Group, Tokamak Solutions, Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe, IPEC Ltd, EDF Energy, Clyne Energy and Neptune Energy.

With the triple challenges of security, affordability and sustainability, the Technology Strategy Board and UK Trade & Investment (the organisations behind Innovate UK) have deemed energy a special area of focus. Through one-to-one meetings, seminars, workshops and keynote sessions featuring leading business and ministerial representatives, it is hoped that those working in the energy world will find more ways to profit from the changes the world will have to make to address these three issues.

The UK is a uniquely innovative place - in 2011 37% of firms were innovation active. This means that they introduced a new product or process, participated in an innovative project or initiated improved forms of organisation, business structure or marketing. In 2010, one new business started every minute. The energy industry is no exception, with numerous examples of innovation taking place already, such as the three below. Although they won’t be at Innovate UK 2013, all of these innovations were made possible because of Technology Strategy Board funding – funding you can find out more about in March at Innovate UK.

One such example is Zeta Controls, which has developed a unique light bulb, which it claims will last more than 25 years and use 14% less energy than the most advanced energy saving bulbs on the market. The bulb, which went into production in November 2012, is believed to be a world first in ultraefficient lighting. The LED component is encased in an aluminium cage to allow air to flow through without overheating. It only uses 8W of energy but has the brightness of 60W, as well as a ‘whole life span’ of 25 years when used for four hours a day. It provides instant light without needing the warming-up process of most energy efficient bulbs. It also distributes light through 360 degrees and is dimmable. Finally, as it doesn’t contain glass or mercury the ‘bulb that isn’t a bulb’ does not need specialised recycling.

Warrington’s Atmos Technologies is another company developing novel, and potentially world-changing, technology – in this case, a technology that could transform the expansion of solar energy generation. The technology is based on spraying conductive metal oxides onto low-cost substrates such as glass. The resultant surface generates electricity when exposed to sunlight and other electro-magnetic waves. On a cost performance basis, this technology could cost 90% less than traditional photovoltaic panels. Patented and at working prototype stage, the technology has the potential to overcome some of the key issues inhibiting further growth in solar power generation globally. When compared with traditional silicon/thin film technologies, the Atmos technology offers lower manufacturing costs, increased durability, reduced environmental impact at the manufacturing stage, lower levels of end-of-life toxins, and limited reliance on scarce materials.

Another example of innovation in the UK is the Enviroparks waste to energy park currently being built in Wales and bringing together a pioneering mix of the world’s most advanced, tried and tested energy-from-waste technologies. Enviroparks spent three years scouring the globe for the best available technologies to produce the most efficient solution for materials recovery

and to develop the most modern energy-from-waste facility. When completed, the 20 acre facility will be one of the most advanced recycling operations in the UK. It will include Materials Recycling, a sophisticated Fuel Preparation Area, Advanced Anaerobic Digestion and Advanced Thermal Treatment that combine to produce the maximum energy with minimum residual waste, and minimal environmental impact. The idea of the development is not only to virtually eliminate the need for landfill, but also to provide a number of valuable energy sources that combine to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. These are just a few illustrations of the fantastic innovations coming out of the UK energy sector. In a quest to drive ongoing innovation through the sector, the Innovate UK organisers are urging members of the industry to come to Innovate UK to see what other great opportunities they can uncover for UK business and economic growth in addressing energy security, affordability and sustainability. Through identifying collaboration, investment or international trade opportunities it is hoped that the UK energy sector will be able to accelerate growth. At similar events last year (the Technology Strategy Board’s Innovate and UK Trade & Investment’s TechWorld), businesses generated over £70m worth of UK trade as a direct result of attending; 65% identified new business opportunities and 77% said they learned something that would help them to innovate.

These are just a few illustrations of the fantastic innovations coming out of the UK energy sector being showcased at Innovate UK. To make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to grow your business, you can buy your Innovate UK ticket at http://www.innovateuk2013.co.uk/registration/ukdelegate. Tickets cost £125 (including VAT). For more information, visit www.innovateuk2013.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @InnovateUK or join the conversation on _connect

Innovate uKShow Preview

More about Innovate uK

Innovate UK is a joint venture between The Technology Strategy Board and UK Trade & Investment, uniting the highly successful Innovate and TechWorld events. The new, multi-sector, networking event will provide opportunities for companies looking to accelerate their growth through technology, innovation, international trade and investment.

What’s in it for the energy sector?

Issues that will be top of the agenda for the energy sector at Innovate UK include business opportunities in energy security, environmental sustainability and the opportunities created by the 2020 and 2050 low carbon energy targets. Special focus areas will cover fuel cells and hydrogen, carbon abatement, and offshore renewable. There will be a whole host of sessions that relate specifically to the energy industry, which you can see here. For example, ‘Going international’ will examine the link between internationalisation and increased competitiveness and look at what help is available to take a company onto the global stage. It will be especially useful for SMEs actively considering going international. ‘Community energy’, facilitated by the Technology Strategy Board Knowledge Transfer Networks and speakers from businesses and social enterprises, will consider the innovation opportunities for business in developing community energy systems, and will look at how barriers to creating such systems might be overcome.


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erECO DESIGNER TAKES uP THE HELM AT WOOD FOR GOOD

Craig White, founding director of Bristol-based architects, White Design, has been named as chairman of Wood for Good – the timber industry’s sustainability awareness campaign. He becomes the first chair of the organisation to come from outside of the timber sector and will be tasked with directing the group’s strategy and operations.

Craig replaces outgoing chairman John Kissock OBE, a former managing director of one of the UK’s largest independent sawmillers and timber suppliers, James Jones.

Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor and a Board Director at Wood for Good, thanked John for his efforts during his tenure as chairman of the organisation, saying: “John has helped to lead the total transformation of Wood for Good, from the look and feel of our brand, to its now expanded role and purpose.

Cherwell Invests in Industrial Microbiology Expertise

New Microbiology Product Specialist to enhance customer support

Cherwell Laboratories, specialists in products for environmental monitoring and process validation are pleased to announce the appointment of Abdulmajeed Raji (Ph.D Microbiology) as Microbiology Product Specialist. The appointment of Abdul into this newly created role marks Cherwell’s commitment to providing the highest quality products and excellent customer service. During Abdul’s career, he has been involved in microbiology process improvement and product development, quality control, and research and development in both classical and molecular microbiology. Abdul has experience in the use of microbiological culture media for environmental monitoring and product testing, as well as in the formulation and development of culture media and techniques to facilitate the isolation and identification of microorganisms using different methods.

Energy Saving Trust appoints new Head of Welsh Programmes

The Energy Saving Trust in Wales has appointed Lee Elwell to the new role of Head of Welsh Programmes. The creation of the role is part of an extended plan for growth, and will oversee all pan Wales flagship programme activity from its head office in Cardiff Bay. Mr Elwell will head the specialist team of programme managers at the Energy Saving Trust, and be responsible for developing service delivery, improving operational execution and superior customer service.

Mr Elwell brings with him a wealth of experience having previously managed multi-million pound projects on behalf of the Welsh tourism and skills sectors, whilst successfully developing public and private partner groups and leading on strategy and policy development.

HR Wallingford welcomes new Maritime Business Manager

HR Wallingford welcomes new Maritime Business Manager Dr Janice McKenna. Janice McKenna combines experience in business development with a wealth of expertise in maritime and coastal engineering. Janice will provide the focus for further developing HR Wallingford’s maritime business with clients worldwide. Janice McKenna is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of Engineers Ireland as well as a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. HR Wallingford provides a wide range of technical consultancy services in the maritime sector, from initial planning and feasibility studies, through preliminary and detailed design, to construction and operation.

ALL CHANGE AT THE TOP FOR THE NEW YEAR AT uNIMER

After sixteen years as a Director of Unimer and the last eleven years as the Chairman, Alan Hampton decided to retire from his role with Unimer at the end of 2012. During his time as a Unimer Board member Alan has seen the business grow from just over £400m turnover to the current levels of well over £900m.

Leo Martin will succeed Alan as Unimer’s next Chairman. Leo has extensive experience of the building materials sector and has operated at the highest levels of the corporate world.Leo Martin joined the Board of Grafton Group plc as an Executive Director in 2005. He had previously been Chief Executive of Heiton Group plc prior to its acquisition by Grafton that year. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Grafton in 2006 and was responsible for streamlining and integrating circa 100 Group acquisitions in the UK and Ireland.

Leo’s other interests include:

• Director of Buy4Now

• Member of the Board of Trustees of Dublin City University Educational Trust

• Serves on the Court of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants

• Member of the Audit Committee for Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

At the end of December Leo completed all of his contractual commitments with the Grafton Group and as a consequence, Leo will become Unimer’s first truly independent Non-Executive Chairman.


Senior ecologist joins Wardell Armstrong

Tim Palmer, a senior ecologist with over fifteen year’s professional experience in consultancy and conservation, has joined Wardell Armstrong LLP as associate director. Working from the engineering and environmental consultancy’s Sheffield office in this newly created role, he will take the lead in developing and project managing ecological services in northern England. Tim has been extensively involved in the ecological aspects of major infrastructure schemes including onshore wind energy, private commercial and residential developments, minerals extraction and major urban regeneration. As well as specialising in ornithology, his technical expertise extends from bat assessments to habitat and protected species surveys, evaluation and impact assessment, habitat creation, restoration and management. He has European Protected Species licensing, allowing him to disturb and handle bats and great crested newts during survey work.

Tim’s new role will involve managing the ecological aspects of client projects, and developing the firm’s ecological services business in the north of England. Growth areas are likely to include onshore wind, mineral extraction, housing, regional rail links and solar power developments.

Cho Hwan-eik, CEO of KEPCO, is named new chairman of World Energy Congress Daegu 2013 Organizing Committee

Cho Hwan-eik, president and chief executive of Korea Electric Power Corp., has been appointed as the new chairman of the Organizing Committee of the World Energy Congress Daegu 2013. The triennial World Energy Congress is the premier global forum for leaders in the global energy sector, including government ministers, CEOs and leading experts. The 22nd World Energy Congress will take place in Daegu, Korea from 13 to 17 October 2013. Mr Cho said his new role was one of great responsibility in terms of promoting the World Energy Congress and making the Daegu Congress the most successful in the 90 years of the event.

Sundog founder appointed chairman of BSI committee for solar PV systems

Cumbria-based Sundog Energy’s founder and technical director Martin Cotterell has been appointed chairman of a highly respected and influential British Standards committee - BSI Committee GEL/82 Photovoltaic Energy Systems. Working under the direction of the BSI British Electrotechnical Committee and the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee, the GEL/82 Committee is responsible for the UK input to the equivalent international committees (IEC TC 82 and CLC/TC 82) which set the standards for all elements of solar PV systems from the operation of the solar cells to the way the electricity generated is fed into the national grid.

BSS ACKNOWLEDGES CONTINuED EXCELLENCE WITH 2012 BRANCH OF THE YEAR AWARD

BSS Industrial, leading distributor of heating and pipeline solutions, has crowned Stoke as its 2012 Branch of the Year.

All of BSS Industrial’s 62 trade counters were judged on profit and performance, alongside a number of customer service measurements. Whilst Lewes took home the Southern award and Aberdeen claimed the Scotland and the North East title, it was Stoke which was recognised in the Midlands and finally named the overall national winner.

Julie Wright, BSS Stoke Branch Manager, commented: “I’m very proud that our branch has won this fantastic award. The whole team worked extremely hard over the past 12 months and our aim is always to put the customer first, providing high quality service and products day in, day out.”

HuTTON’S ACHIEVES IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Leading international ship supplier, Hutton’s, has achieved important international accreditations to benefit customers and its staff.

UK-based Hutton’s has been awarded International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) quality management standard ISO9001, environmental management standard ISO14001 and British occupational health and safety standard (OHSAS)18001 after several months of dedicated work to ensure its services and systems meet and exceed global expectations. Business auditors recognised Hutton’s high levels of customer satisfaction and retention and the dedication of its highly motivated employees during the assessment process. Managing Director Alex Taylor said: “These accreditations are a very important endorsement of our approach to ship supply and in particular our customer-focussed approach. I congratulate all our staff on helping Hutton’s to achieve these standards.”

WWF Scotland – new Director announced

WWF-UK, one of the country’s leading environmental charities, has today named Lang Banks as its new Director of WWF Scotland.Banks has been with the organisation for five years and is currently the charity’s Head of Communications in Scotland. He becomes only the third Scotland Director since WWF first established an operational presence in Scotland, back in 1985.

Commenting on his appointment, Lang Banks said: “Our planet’s oceans, rivers, forests and wildlife all remain under threat. As a scientist, I can see the long-term damage that’s being done. As an optimist, I know it’s possible to turn it around. As a communicator and campaigner, I realise I can play a part in helping to mobilise politicians, businesses and the public to act together to make positive change happen.

Banks earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Paisley. He has over a decade’s worth of experience in communications and campaigns, and previously worked for the environmental charity, Friends of the Earth Scotland, and the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association.

Parsons Brinckerhoff appoints James Burdall as lead uK Consultant for Pavement Engineering

Parsons Brinckerhoff, the global engineering consultant, has appointed James Burdall as lead consultant for pavement engineering within the company’s expanding UK Highways and Transportation business. Burdall is an Incorporated Engineer with almost 15 years experience in the pavement engineering industry. He joins Parsons Brinckerhoff from Atkins, and prior to that URS (formerly Scott Wilson Pavement Engineering). He specialises in the investigation, design and whole life cost assessment of pavement solutions for both existing and new build infrastructure including highways, airports and ports. Burdall is a Fellow of the Institute of Highway Engineers.


JASON DREWCOLuMN

”“The newspapers are full of dots every day – but we are failing to join them and see the picture – is it because we are too stupid or too frightened? Our leaders cavort in Davos, pleased at the light at the end of the GFC tunnel. Few see the unfolding chaos of 2013 – yet the market signals could not be clearer. Let me explain.

Last year I wrote about the price achieved in Tokyo for a single blue fin tuna. In 2011 the record was $370,000 in 2012 it was $730,000 and this January a single fish sold for $1.75 Million, despite the economic backdrop of which we are all aware. The extraordinary and escalating price increases of mature fish is a clear sign of the imbalance of demand and supply. These prices clearly signal of the real plight of our seas. It is now a multi-billion dollar a year race to finish the rape of our seas.

Most of our industrial agricultural animal production depends on fishmeal, or other proteins whose price fluctuates alongside it. The price of fishmeal hit $2,000 per tone this month – up from $1,000 at the time of the onset of the GFC in 2008. This will drive up the price of many things including farmed fish, shellfish, chicken and pet food. The last major price changes happened in 2008 when basic food prices rose some 25% in a year. This led to riots in over thirty countries from Greece and Italy in Europe to much of the developing world. A similar price adjustment is happening today – deeper and faster. Changing weather patterns, damaged eco-systems and ever more people on the planet are driving an increasing mass of humanity into hunger.

In the past we simply alleviated hunger by buying grain from countries like the USA. The 2012 droughts in the US have pushed up the price of wheat and maize, and led to the world’s poor eating less. Today there are only 15 net food-exporting countries and they are under increasing pressure to feed their own populations. Buying food on global markets just shifts the hunger and food insecurity from one location to another. That is why countries like Saudi and China are buying up farmland across Africa. In fact they have already acquired more productive farmland on the African continent than exists in France. In Saudi’s case you can’t eat sand or drink oil and in China’s – well what would you do with 17% of the world’s population and only 8% of the worlds land mass. Jim Yong Kim, the new president of the World Bank, spoke at Davos this month and gave a grave warning about the risk of conflicts over natural resources in a world where eco-systems are strained. “There will be water and food fights everywhere.”

He also said action was needed to create a carbon market, eliminate fossil-fuel subsidies and “green” the world’s 100 megacities, which are responsible for 60 to 70% of global emissions. We need more people like Kim who can see the coming food crisis.

If we do nothing - we risk nothing less than the collapse of civilisation as famine and hunger rip through the slums of our cities and cause riots across the world.

Our leaders need to get busy making some hard and unpopular choices. Otherwise Mother Nature will make the choices for us. Kim is the first one to spell it out, lets hope the others at Davos were paying attention.

Lets get busy repairing the future.

Jason J Drew

www.JasonJDrew.com

There will be water and food

fights everywhere

Civilization on the brink– except in Davos


Don Robins Managing Director of Cheltenham based recycling and waste management specialist Printwaste Recycling & Shredding

Latest Government figures show that fortnightly refuse collections, a policy criticised as ‘lazy’ by the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, increase recycling habits. Analysis of official figures* from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) show that in the past two years, nine of the ten councils with the biggest improvements in recycling pick up non-recyclable waste fortnightly.

The UK is still way behind the EU in recycling and the current battle with the bins over weekly versus fortnightly collections is confusing the vital message of good recycling habits for domestic and business scheme adopters.

In the UK the target is to recycle 50% of all waste from households by 2020. The DEFRA report highlights the fact that in 2011/12 43% of household waste is recycled in England. It also confirms the UK Government is leading by example having achieved their 2014/15 targets for Green Commitments by achieving reductions in levels of carbon, water and waste. This is commendable but by comparison with some members of the EU we are way behind. The potential for almost zero waste and the drive to recycle more has been proved to be possible by countries such as The Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Belgium. Whilst only broad comparisons can be made due to different types of waste management in all of these countries, the DEFRA report lists less than 5% municipal waste going to landfill. Looking at our European neighbours, the UK has the potential to improve recycling rates by a long way. These facts suggest that Eric Pickles is missing an opportunity. Engaging the public positively regarding waste and recycling requires a straightforward message which is not confused by a general rule on how often collections

Industry Perspective

should be made. Collection schedules are a logistics issue and in this age need to be adaptable to suit the individual council or business requirement. Increasing recycling rates can be seen by many councils to reduce cost. Achieving these goals require education and publicity to engage the will of the public. The £250m fund would have been better spent on education rather than confusing the message to the councils by imploring them to go back to weekly collections. There will naturally be densely populated areas of districts where weekly collections are required. But if we want to achieve 50% recycling where individual family homes have the space for their own bins then we need to provide 50% of the bin space for recycling materials, and when provided alterative weekly collections are being seen to work. In many areas the combination of these factors is contributing to the issue of overflowing general waste bins. The UK Government needs to follow its own example and having digested the DEFRA report, take another look at the why they are advocating a return to weekly collections.


It’s no wonder mums go to Iceland.

I’m a bit puzzled by this entire horsemeat ‘scandal’, not because of the issue itself, but because it’s hit the headlines and captured the nation’s attention the way it has. Campaigners and journalists have been writing about the dubious nature of many meat products for decades – and I state that with some confidence because my first feature on the subject was published in a local newspaper called the Greenwich Meridian back in 1984. It was an incendiary double-page which resulted in death threats, a brick through the office window and a damning article in the authoritative and entirely objective Meat Trades Journal. Since then, I’ve had ‘dealings’ with a number of other pinnacles of consumer integrity, notably McDonald’s.

But I digress.

Is it really the case that people think that for £3 or so they can buy a pre-prepared meal for a family of four which includes the finest minced beef from an animal that has roamed the sunny uplands of bonnie Scotland, been fed on wholesome, natural fodder and listened to recordings of Kenneth McKellar each night before retiring on fresh hay in some idyllic wooden cowshed?

Well – possibly. In writing this article, I just thought I’d check the Tesco site for details on its Everyday Value ready meals. Next to the 1.5kg Tesco Everyday Value Lasagne at £2.98 it says that they ‘guarantee the quality and freshness of [our] products’. There’s also a page testifying to a ‘quality and freshness guarantee’ with headlines such as ‘we’re as picky as you are’. And right there is a picture of a contented-looking cow, in the open air by a fence with greenery behind, having what looks like a very gratifying scratch. OK – there’s no Kenneth McKellar, but it’s damned close. No wonder those ‘no-wonder mum’s who go to Iceland’ think that these uber-corporations really have their interests at heart – they are bombarded with positive messages their entire waking lives.It is clear that certainly where beef is concerned, Tesco’s

guarantee of quality is empty. All quality issues aside, they couldn’t even guarantee that their beef was in fact beef. DNA testing is inordinately expensive, and one can only wonder at what might be found on other products were a comprehensive random testing programme to take place.

But why should it have to take place? Why can’t we trust these supermarkets?

Food production has become almost completely industrialised. Meat is a commodity, like oil or iron ore. With the notable exception of Morrison’s, the buyers who are supposedly as ‘picky’ as we are may get treated to a meal by the processing factory or farm from whom they are buying – which is probably not in the UK – and that’s about it. The ensuing thousands of tonnes of frozen carcases that are processed into the end product will get precious little attention – if any at all. This is the world of huge refrigerators in anonymous steel buildings, long-distance trucking and processing plants with workers carrying out mind-numbingly repetitive tasks on the minimum wage. It’s the world of tight efficiency and tighter margins. At 88p for a 400g ready meal including product, packaging, transport, cost of sale and profit margin – it has to be. The supermarkets maintain their margins and squeeze the suppliers until they bleed – and so it’s hardly any wonder that cheaper sources of meat find their way into the food chain.

Yet we know this. We’ve read the articles. We’ve seen the documentaries.

Back in 2011, we had a very similar, if less emotive, issue with fish products. You may remember the headlines where Tesco’s fish pies containing ‘Finest flakes of north Atlantic Haddock’ turned out to be cheaper pacific cod, and Young’s Flipper Dippers, labelled as containing Alaskan Pollock, actually contained freshwater catfish.

The unpalatable fact appears to be that if there is an economy to be made, it will be made.

As Tesco keep reminding us – every little helps.

STEVE GRANTCOLuMN



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Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling

Let’s end food waste - Mary Creagh

Packaging recyclability – A given? - Matt Benyon

Packaging Innovations 2013


Mary Creagh, MP, Shadow Environment Secretary

We need to end the scandal of waste. There is a cost of living crisis in our towns and cities. In my constituency of Wakefield there are over 3,000 people on the dole. Britain is the seventh richest nation in the world, yet children are going to bed hungry at night because their parents can’t afford to put food on the table.

We have an out of touch government whose economic policies are making food poverty worse. But we also have a food system that does not do enough to tackle waste.

Labour published Food 2030 in January 2010, the first national food strategy in 60 years, but the Government have done nothing with it since then. We need leadership from the Government to reduce food waste, with more ambitious targets to provide certainty for the food industry.

WRAP estimates that we throw away 7.7 million tonnes of food each year, worth £12bn. Pubs, restaurants, take-aways and hotels produced 3.4 million tonnes of waste in 2009. Food and packaging accounted for the greatest proportion of this waste. 400,000 tonnes of edible food ended up as landfill, where it gave off harmful CO2. That needs to change. We need to treat food as the precious commodity that it is.

Labour trebled household recycling and supported the waste industry. That progress has stalled under this government. Growth has been undermined by the deregulatory, anti-environment rhetoric of the Government. The 2011 waste review was a missed opportunity to drive innovation and boost investor confidence. It failed to set an ambitious recycling target for England or to set out a roadmap for how the recycling industry might develop. The lack of political leadership in Defra has seen the Government retreat from Labour’s commitment to becoming a zero waste economy.

The food packaging industry has shown innovation in packaging design to reduce the environmental impact of our food and drink: plastic pouches replacing glass coffee jars; inert gases wrapping

perishable foods. Most major supermarkets are working towards zero food waste to landfill and with local charities to redistribute edible food waste. The major retailers need to be more transparent about how they deal with food waste, and to do more to avoid edible food going to landfill. The food charity FareShare feeds 35,000 people a day by recycling food “waste” from supermarkets and the food industry through its network of charities across the country. The growth in groups like FoodCycle, under the inspirational leadership of Kelvin Cheung, shows the potential to divert edible food away from anaerobic digestion to feed people.

There is real potential for the waste industry to develop new innovative ways to reduce food waste. We need to move from our current linear resource economy based on extraction of fertiliser and oil from the ground and placing them on land to produce food, to a more circular system which is less energy intensive, less virgin resource intensive, lower carbon, with less waste.

We need to challenge the false divide created by this government between growth and sustainability. Businesses need a secure supply of raw materials. Sustainable growth relies on a secure supply of raw materials. We can no longer afford to simply throw things away. Food waste is a store of the carbon inputs and resources taken to grow and process it. Add in food poverty and we have a moral reason for tackling food waste as well as an economic and environmental one.

Labour’s policy review is looking at introducing a ban on food waste going to landfill. We are examining the concept of a food waste hierarchy to drive innovation: wasting less in homes and businesses; edible food going to people first; then animal feed and then anaerobic digestion or energy from waste. Gavin Shuker MP, Labour’s Shadow Waste and Resources Minister, is leading our work on this. This spring we will launch a consultation paper on resource security and the potential for the waste industry to create up to 100,000 new jobs and drive economic growth. The consultation paper will be posted on the Your Britain website – www.YourBritain.org.uk – our new online policy hub. We would welcome your ideas and input. ■

Let’s end food waste


According to 58% of branding, packaging and marketing professionals, environmental issues have become so mainstream that consumers now automatically assume packaging will be environmentally friendly, putting the responsibility firmly in the hands of the manufacturer. The study of 500 of the UK’s leading branding, packaging and marketing managers was commissioned by easyFairs, organisers of the trade show PACKAGING INNOVATIONS, taking place at the NEC this February. We caught up with Matt Benyon, Managing Director of easyFairs UK Ltd, to get his overall opinion. “I don’t think people are apathetic; they are aware of the importance of waste reduction and recyclability and are keen to do their bit. However consumers seem to believe that because manufacturers and retailers are under environmental pressure, minimum green standards are already being met and that the basic ‘leg work’ has been done for them,” he says.The survey also found that only 3% of the respondents believe a consumer’s buying behaviour will be significantly influenced by the fact that an item is packaged in environmentally friendly packaging.

Matt continues: “Companies can’t make an environmental virtue out of their packaging and assume it will help them sell more, when instore consumers don’t really worry about a pack’s recyclability. It’s only once they have got the product home and they need to dispose of packaging that they think about it.”easyFairs’ research findings undermine any idea that manufacturers can pass on the cost of having greener packaging to the consumer.

“It is of course the role of the manufacturer to reduce cost and produce greener packaging. Sadly, brand owners investing in good environmental practice will not generally be credited for this by consumers. The average person is not aware of the amount of great work being done by manufacturers to reduce the environmental impact of packaging. Indeed most appear to expect lower, not higher, prices for environmentally friendly packaging,” Matt explains.

The other side of the coinHowever, those surveyed do not feel all the onus should be just on manufacturers. For instance, 45% said the retailer should be taking the lead when it comes to sustainable packaging, while just 19% think it is the manufacturer’s duty to ‘green up’ the packaging supply chain. Matt adds: “Big retailers are already doing more than ever, but they can only do so much on their own. Realistically, a holistic approach is needed, incorporating the whole supply chain. This is a complex issue and no single party can be solely expected to come up with the answers. Sustainable packaging requires closer working between all parties.”

Those surveyed were asked to name which of the top ten retailers in the UK have the best environmental approach to packaging. Marks and Spencer came out well ahead of the pack with 32% of the votes, followed by John Lewis/Waitrose with 22%, and then the Co-operative Group, nominated by 15%. Even when respondents were able to nominate any FMCG or retail brand that should be more responsible in its approach to

packaging, the focus went back onto retail with Tesco being the most spontaneously nominated by 9%. The second most frequent suggestion was Amazon, with 4% of marketing professionals saying the online retail giant should be doing more. However, when it comes to recycling, the respondents think the responsibility then shifts. Only 14% think retailers should be responsible for packaging waste and recycling; the majority feel the onus should lie with the local council (28%) or the consumer (23%). Matt remarks: “This reminds me of a point that was raised at our BIG Packaging Debate at last year’s show that discussed whether we should charge for waste; one of the panellists remarked that the only way to make people care is to put a value on it. Right or wrong, that is the way it works in a capitalist society!

“Perhaps a little extreme, and the Government would run a mile from the idea of charging people for their waste, but something needs to be done. For example, recycling rates of plastic bottles in the UK are 46%, which means 54% are going to landfill. The majority of plastic bottles are now 100% recyclable, which means the onus is on the consumer to simply put the bottle in the right bin!” Keen to dig even deeper into the issue of packaging sustainability – and consumer behaviour – PACKAGING INNOVATIONS, taking place on 27 & 28 February 2013 at Birmingham’s NEC, will again be holding the BIG Packaging Debate, where a panel of packaging professionals will be debating the topic that ‘consumers don’t buy sustainable packaging’. Matt concludes: “We hope the debate will shed yet more light on consumers’ packaging perceptions and how their buying behaviour is influenced. If the majority of packaging professionals are dubious about whether sustainable packaging actually sells, then do we need to go back to basics and educate consumers so they value a pack’s environmental credentials? Otherwise, given that we’re a market driven economy, what else will encourage all those involved to adopt the most environmentally sound solutions? It will be fascinating to see how this debate plays out! ■

PackagingRecyclability

- a given?Matt Benyon, Managing Director, Easyfairs


PACKAGING INNOVATIONS PACKED OuTWith 63% of exhibitors launching new products and services at the show, PACKAGING INNOVATIONS 2013 is set to play host to the most important new developments in packaging design, materials and technology, with many making their global or UK debut.

The show, which opens its doors on 27 & 28 February 2013 in halls 18 & 19 at Birmingham’s NEC, will span across six areas: PACKAGING INNOVATIONS, ECOPACK, CONTRACT PACK, PACKTECH, PRINT INNOVATIONS and new for 2013 LABELLING INNOVATIONS, offering packaging professionals a wealth of interactive and informative features to give inspiration and new ideas to take back to the workplace.

Matt Benyon, Managing Director of easyFairs UK Ltd, says: “Over the years our show has continued to grow, and is now the UK’s leading annual event for packaging. With new exhibitors across all areas of the show, and a host of big names returning with new launches, the show will be electric.”

EXHIBITOR LAuNCHESAB Packaging Group (stand E26) is launching its much anticipated paper bag for life. Mike Gibson, UK Sales Manager at AB Packaging Group, remarked: “We are delighted to work in partnership with ECOPACK to launch our new innovative 100% biodegradable carrier bag. We have put two years R&D into this product and we know the high street and supermarkets will be very excited when we launch in February.”

Recoup (stand E15) is launching ‘Recyclability by Design’, which will provide plastic packaging designers with a better understanding of the environmental implications of their design decisions.

First time exhibitor Bettix (stand E19), which manufactures blow and injection mouldings, will be showcasing a range of single and twin neck dispensers as well as a brand new concept in multi-use trigger sprays, which is already having success in the USA.

Nicholl Food Packaging (stand E22) is launching a number of new lines into its portfolio, which includes smoothwall and wrinklewall foil trays, compostable and ovenable board variants and lidding films.

Kairos One (stand F32) is using the show to demonstrate its two services: Eco-Design and Pre-media Support. Eco-Design helps brand owners and packaging manufacturers re-engineer a design in order to minimise its impact by reducing materials and weight, optimising shape, structure and size, and improving efficiency throughout the supply chain. Pre-media Support helps packaging manufacturers reduce cost and improve efficiency at the prepress stage.

Enercon Industries (stand B3) is exhibiting the industry’s first multi-language and multi-functional touch screen induction sealer. Designed for use in a wide range of packaging applications, from food and beverage, to pharmaceutical, agrochemical and household, the Super Seal™ Touch can be used as a stand-alone line-side unit or be fully integrated into a continuous filling and capping line.

Bagging and protective packaging specialists Automated Packaging Systems (stand A22) will unveil its new ESD (Electro Static Discharge) Bags-on-a-Roll at the show. The bags protect sensitive electronic devices from product-damaging electrostatic fields.

Blockfoil (stand B45) will be showcasing its latest work in hot foiling and embossing. Peter Starling, Director at Blockfoil, says: “The show is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase how blockfoiling can make a carton stand out from the crowd. It is a great event for meeting up with brand managers and designers as well as spending time with our customers. We are really looking forward to exhibiting next February.”

KBW Packaging (stand B14) is in the process of developing an AF0020 Auto, a two head automatic liquid filling machine, which will bridge the gap between the current AF0020 semi-automatic bench-top and the fully automatic AF 0040 Liquid Filling Machine. Visitors will be able to hear the latest on this crucial new development. They will also be able to see its AK0002 Capping Machine, AF 0010 Liquid Filling and AC1000 Tablet Counting Machines. ►

Packaging Innovations27 & 28 February 2013, NEC, Birmingham


Yorkshire Packaging Systems (stand A16) will be exhibiting its low cost palletising solution designed specifically for low and medium speed packing operations which are traditionally not catered for and struggle to find a cost effective option. In addition the company will highlight its full complement of shrink wrappers from its range of semi automatic combination unit ‘L’ sealers and shrink tunnels as well as its fully automatic ‘L’ sealer and shrink tunnel. New technologies will also be unveiled by KTEC GROuP (stand A11), which will be showing off its very latest full colour digital label printers. Advance Dynamics (stand A13) will be demonstrating its Pack Leader product range. Allen Coding Systems (stand A8), known for its pioneering hot foil, thermal transfer, laser and inkjet technologies, will be displaying its latest range of machines.

River Packaging (stand E47) will be unveiling a new range of ‘tamper e v i d e n t ’ jars, to complement the range of standard s c r e w - t o p jars, all within the size range 150ml to 1750ml. The ‘tamper evident’ range incorporates an evident tear band, providing a clear indication that the jar may have been opened. Printpack (stand G47) is launching its innovative printing technologies at the show: High Resolution Gravure (HRG) and 4SIGHT (Gravure Fixed Colour Palette). HRG offers sharper print quality than any other flexible packaging print process. 4SIGHT reduces the number of process colours required to create a wide ranging colour gamut.

Equally Ashfield Extrusion Ltd (stand F55), which specialises in aluminium tubes and screw top canisters, will be displaying a number of new innovations. Glenn Tyers, the company’s Managing Director says: “We are delighted to be exhibiting again and we will have some exciting new products on display to showcase how aluminium and our in-house printing expertise can really promote your brand.”

Measom Freer (stand B44) has launched a new range of scoops in standard food safety colours, with an antibacterial additive also available, to provide that extra depth of protection.

The European distributor of Samhwa products, Collcap Packaging (stand E56) will be showing innovative cosmetics and skincare packaging which it exclusively distributes. In particular it will feature Samhwa’s airless pumps and grater powder packs, alongside a range of its own bespoke designs. Collcap can offer customers a wealth of innovative cosmetics and skincare packaging unavailable elsewhere.

Quadpack (stand C45) will showcase a range of packaging solutions for beauty brands in the premium, ‘masstige’ and mass markets, including the latest offerings from its manufacturing partners Yonwoo, Apollo and Brivaplast.

From Yonwoo, Quadpack will highlight two products. The new Ampoule Program comprises a set of medical-looking airless vials

for single or series of treatments – perfect for enjoying

a real pamper session at

h o m e .

Y o n w o o ’ s Paper Blow is

an 100ml airless pack that conforms to the four Rs,

according to the company’s earth-friendly philosophy: Refill, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.

Finally from Apollo, visitors will be able to see the new Silicone Brush Pump. Ideal for spa treatments, it transforms formulas into a luxurious, soft-textured foam, that spreads easily onto the skin by way of a smooth silicone applicator.

Due to its success at PACKAGING INNOVATIONS London HH Deluxe Packaging (stand J46) will be making a trip to the NEC show to showcase its newest innovative designs. David Jenkins, Business Development Manager, at HH Deluxe said: “If the NEC is half as good as London it will be fantastic.” ■

Show Features

This year’s show will see the launch of easyFairs’ packaging conference, with keynotes from Unilever, Procter & Gamble, SABMiller,

Iconoculture and Gü. The high-level yet highly practical two-day conference running throughout PACKAGING INNOVATIONS will feature experts from Kingfisher,

Nestlé, Alliance Boots, Mintel, Space NK, the NHS, Waitrose, Wm Morrison Supermarkets, British American Tobacco, Heineken International and DHL. These major names will draw on

their own experiences and insights as they address the top packaging concerns for senior strate-gists and decision makers working in the UK today.

Also new for this year is the inaugural BIG Print Debate with top print decision makers from Unilever and Waitrose taking part. Plus a live edition of #PACKCHAT the hugely popular twitter forum, which will take

place at 1pm on Wednesday 27 February in the Social Media Lounge. Here show attendees will debate with the ‘twittersphere’ regarding a critical packaging issue.

The brand new features will run alongside show favourites. These include 50 content-rich learnShop seminars, including major brands and leading speakers from Sunny Delight, Landa, Warburtons and Arla Foods.

Expert professionals, from The Packaging Society, will provide one-to-one advice on any area of your product’s lifecycle at the Packaging Consultancy Clinic. There will also be a return of the Lions’ Lair, where a number of

the show’s exhibitors pitch their latest innovations to a panel of experts, in a bid for their development to be crowned best of show.

The 3D Print feature returns by popular demand, while Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, will be showcasing all the outstanding carton packaging from the

ECMA Carton awards.

The BIG Packaging Debate, inspired by BBC Question Time, will see a panel of packaging professionals debate the topic: ‘Consumers don’t buy Sustainable Packaging’. The debate

will take place on the International Brand Summit at 15:30, 27 February.

A drinks reception for all those visiting the co-located events will be held after The BIG Packaging Debate at the end of Wednesday, provid-

ing an opportunity to meet the panel and speakers at the show, network with colleagues, new

contacts, and exhibitors.

www.easyFairs.com/[email protected]



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Energy



Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling

Development and application of personal air pollution sensors for population studies - Professor Frank Kelly and Dr Benjamin Barratt

OMA Version 4 - Dr Richard Gould

Clean air – still a political objective after 60 years - Jim Mills


AbstractThe adverse health effects of urban air pollution, ranging from respiratory symptoms through to cancer and cardiorespiratory mortality, are well substantiated. Nevertheless, gaps and uncertainties exist in our understanding of the mechanisms of harm and responsible toxicant. The effectiveness of population studies investigating these links is often limited by over-simplified estimates of how much air pollution human subjects are exposed to as they go about their daily lives. This research aims to minimise this limitation by bringing together two fields of research that have made rapid advancements in recent years - time-activity models and personal pollution sensors. Estimates of a population’s exposure to air pollution have improved with the development of theoretical models such as dispersion simulations and land use regression. However, health studies using such models depend on the assumption that outdoor pollution levels at a subject’s residential address are representative of what they breathe at home, school, place of work or while travelling. Time-activity computer models combine high resolution pollution maps with population activity logs, allowing the calculation of an individual’s exposure to pollution as they move about a city throughout the day. These models have the advantage of being capable of producing estimates over long periods of time and applied to large numbers of study participants. They have, however, rarely been evaluated for accuracy because personal monitors tend to be expensive and cumbersome. Personal pollution sensors are relatively inexpensive micro-monitors that can be worn by an individual to continuously measure their own exposure to air pollution over a period of hours or days. Recent technological advances have led to cheaper, more practical sensors measuring a greater range of pollutants. These sensors present a means of testing the performance of time-activity models, but their accuracy is also unproven.

IntroductionWhile there is increasing evidence for adverse health effects of air pollution, important gaps and uncertainties exist in our understanding of the processes and mechanisms of harm (Health Effects Institute [HEI], 2010). Historically, population studies have relied on a sparse distribution of air quality monitors to associate health metrics with exposure to air pollution. More recently, improved methods of estimating exposure have been developed based on spatial models (Ashmore and Dimitroulopoulou, 2009, Tonne et al, 2010, Kelly et al, 2011). However, the uncertainty associated with these models is often difficult to quantify and all include assumptions about public behaviour and exposure levels. Reducing exposure misclassification in epidemiological studies and increased specificity of exposure metrics is needed to allow for interpretation of interactive impacts of multiple exposures (Arrandale et al, 2011). Another interaction of interest is the relationship between air pollution exposure and genetic characteristics.

To date, only limited analyses have evaluated the interactions between specific pollutants and genetic markers, but these have revealed that effects are greatest in those with certain genetic polymorphisms such as in GSTP1 and other enzymes that protect against oxidative challenge. Improved assessment of individual level exposure variation linked to biomarkers of exposure is necessary to further clarify air pollution-genetic interactions.

Recent advances in sensor, data storage and communication technologies have led to an expanding range of active (i.e., time resolved) mobile sensors of air pollution and other environmental variables such as temperature and humidity. These sensors now present an opportunity to make a step change improvement in the quality, accuracy and scope of reliable exposure metrics for use in population studies, thereby helping to establish a more robust and targeted link between air pollution and diverse negative health outcomes.

In recent years, active mobile sensors have been used in short ‘snapshot’ studies of exposure in specific micro-environments such as transport modes (Chan et al, 2002) or indoors. These studies have improved our knowledge of variations in pollution levels to which human subjects are exposed and, in so doing, highlighted potential shortcomings in current population study methods. However, in isolation, they are generally too limited in scope

Development & application

of personal air pollution sensors for population

studies

Professor Frank Kelly

and Dr Benjamin

BarrattEnvironmental

Research Group, King’s

College London


”“to be of use in population studies. Very low cost sensors have now come onto the market exploiting the miniaturisation of data storage and communication microchips to create monitoring ‘nodes’ or ‘motes’. Their technological development has previously been funded by the UK Research Council bodies EPSCR and NERC, including Mobile Environmental Sensing System Across Grid Environments (http://research.cs.ncl.ac.uk/message/) and Sensor Networks for Air Quality at Heathrow Airport (http://www.snaq.org/). Outputs of these projects are now being commercialised by companies such as Alphasense (http://www.alphasense.com/).

While sensor technology has advanced rapidly, it is unlikely that we will reach the stage where thousands of sensors can be distributed to each human subject in a large cohort. Furthermore, epidemiological studies rely on relationships between health outcomes and risk in the general population, not pre-selected individuals. Therefore, mobile sensors alone will not be capable of meeting the increasingly detailed needs of population studies.

Computational estimates of a population’s exposure to air pollution have also improved, with the development of geospatial models such as dispersion simulations and land use regression (Brauer et al, 2003, Hystad et al, 2011). However, health studies using such models still depend on the assumption that outdoor pollution levels at a subject’s residential address are representative of what they breathe at home, school, place of work or while travelling. Time-activity models combine high resolution pollution maps with population activity logs, allowing the calculation of an individual’s exposure to pollution as they move about a city (Isakov et al, 2009). However, this complexity brings new challenges with regard to validation as the accepted method using fixed ambient pollution monitors cannot be used. Such models will not be suitable for the robust identification of links between air pollution and health effects until they can be validated with real world measurements.

New research is required to translate advancements in sensor technology to the population study arena by developing two related methodologies. First, the production of protocols describing the use and interpretation of personal pollution sensors in population studies, paralleling those already in place for fixed pollution monitors. Second, to use existing population studies to combine active personal monitoring with exposure models.

SummaryA range of low cost rapid sampling personal air pollution sensors are now available. However, many have been developed without sufficient testing in real world conditions. To date, the use of such monitors has been limited to highlighting contrasting exposures in specific situations such as in vehicle, cycling and indoors. Complex geospatial models are increasingly being used for exposure assessments in population studies. This complexity brings new challenges with regard to validation. Personal pollution sensors present a feasible means for validating time-activity exposure models, however, an evaluation of the accuracy and precision of the sensors themselves is first required. The identification of any bias in measurements under specific conditions is particularly important. ■

AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to acknowledge the Natural Environment Research Council, Medical Research Council, for the funding received for the Traffic Pollution and Health in London project (NE/I008039/1), funded through the Environmental Exposures & Health Initiative (EEHI). This research was also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.

ReferencesArrandale V.H., Brauer M., Brook J.R., Brunekreef B., Gold D., London S., Miller D., Özkaynak H., Reis N., Sears M., Silverman F., Takaro T., 2011. Exposure Assessment in Cohort Studies of Childhood Asthma. Environ Health Perspect, 119:591-597.

Ashmore M.R., Dimitroulopoulou C. (2009). Personal exposure of children to air pollution. Atmos Env, 43:128-141.

Brauer M., Hoek G., van Vliet P., Meliefste K., Fischer P., Gehring U., et al. 2003. Estimating longterm average particulate air pollution concentrations: application of traffic indicators andgeographic information systems. Epidemiology 14(2):228-239.

Chan L.Y., Lau W.L., Lee S.C., Chan C.Y., 2002. Commuter exposure to particulate matter in public transportation modes in Hong Kong. Atmos Env 36:3363-3373.

HEI (2010) Special Report 17: Traffic-related Air Pollution: A Critical Review of the Literature on Emissions, Exposure, and Health Effects. The Health Effects Institute.

Hystad P, Setton E, Cervantes A, Poplawski K, Deschenes S, Brauer M, Jerrett M, Martin R, van Donkelaar A, Demers P. Creating National Air Pollution Models from Satellite, Landuse Regression and Deterministic Components for Population Exposure Assessment in Canada. Environ Health Perspect, 119 :1123 :1129.

Isakov V, Touma JS, Burke J, Lobdell DT, Palma T, Rosenbaum A, et al. 2009. Combiningregional- and local-scale air quality models with exposure models for use in environmental health studies. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 59(4):461-472.

Kelly F.J., Anderson H.R., Armstrong B., Atkinson R., Barratt B., Beevers S., Derwent D., Green D., Mudway I., Wilkinson P. (2011a). The LEZ Baseline Study. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 163:3-79, 2011.

Tonne C., Beevers S., Kelly F.J., Jarup L., Wilkinson P., Armstrong B. (2010) An approach for estimating the health effects of changes over time in air pollution: an illustration using cardiorespiratory hospital admissions

While sensor technology has advanced rapidly, it is unlikely that we will reach the stage where thousands of sensors can be distributed to each human subject in a large cohort


OMA Version 4

It is now twelve years since the Environment Agency (EA) developed and launched its Operator Monitoring Assessment (OMA) scheme for assessing the quality of monitoring at regulated installations, and began applying it at sites regulated under the former regime of Integrated Pollution Control (IPC). More recently the EA launched Version 4 of OMA, and during the intervening period many of the EA’s staff have collectively performed thousands of OMAs on many types of industrial installation throughout England and Wales. Considering that OMA is now well into its second decade, this article describes what OMA is, why the EA developed it, how it is structured, and what experiences influenced the evolution of OMA from its early days to the current version.

The what and the why of OMAIn simple terms, OMA is a highly structured framework for examining the core aspects of the monitoring specified in an operator’s permit, in order to assess the quality of monitoring. With this in mind, the EA uses OMA in three ways. Firstly, the focus of any OMA is to determine the suitability of an operator’s monitoring, and to assess the level of compliance with the permit. This in turn will decide how much regulatory attention the operator needs, depending on the quality of monitoring. Secondly, OMA auditors also use the scheme to identify both the strengths in the operator’s monitoring, as well as areas that either need attention, or have the potential for improvement. Thirdly, an OMA is a useful tool for reviewing the permit conditions themselves, and whether the conditions are up-to-date; for example, the monitoring requirements could be reduced or expanded, depending entirely on current legislation, the operator’s performance and level of environmental risk.

Driving forces and risk-based regulationEnvironmental laws such from the latest Industrial Emissions Directive (IEC) of 2010 to the Directives which preceded it, such as Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC) originating in 1996, require industries to either eliminate or reduce emissions as far as practicable, in order to protect the environment and human health. Therefore the domestic laws which apply these directives – such as the Environmental Permitting Regulations, 2010 (EPR) – typically specify limit values for emissions to air and discharges of effluent to water. As there is no control without monitoring, the laws and the permits which apply them will in turn specify monitoring requirements, which can either be short-term (periodic) monitoring, continuous monitoring, or a combination of the two. Whilst monitoring will show whether an operator is complying with the permit, it is axiomatic that better monitoring will result in better control.

Operators are typically responsible for their measurements of emissions and discharges to water, through a process known as Operator Self-Monitoring (OSM). In order to ensure that OSM meets the required levels of quality, the EA sets standards for monitoring by requiring the use of international standards, and by requiring monitoring equipment to be tested and approved to any applicable standards. The EA applies the requirements of standards through its Monitoring Certification Schemes (MCERTS – see www.mcerts.net ). On the other hand, how do the EA and operators know whether these standards are being applied effectively? This is where OMA plays a critical role, because it can inform both the EA and operator whether the monitoring performed is both effective and appropriate - hence OMA is a tool that allows the EA to apply a risk-based approach to regulation, rewarding good performers or by focusing attention where it is required. So how is OMA structured, and how did it evolve?

Structure and evolutionThe first version of OMA consisted of five sections known as attributes, which covered:

• The management of monitoring, training and competence.• Provisions, methods and equipment for monitoring. • Maintenance of monitoring systems.• Calibration of monitoring systems. • Quality assurance.

Each attribute was divided into five or six elements, which focused on the monitoring provisions and the application of these. A site officer would apply a score of 1 to 5 for each element, where a score of 3 is acceptable and a score of 1 to 2 meant that some action is required, and a score of 5 is as good as it gets. A score of 1 or 2 indicates a minor non-compliance.

Additionally, there have always been three so-called fundamental elements, which have been:

• The location of monitoring and provisions for sampling.• The monitoring methods and techniques applied.• Calibration.

If there is a score of less than three for any of these elements, then the operator must take corrective action as soon as possible, as a low score in any of the three fundamental elements indicates a major non-compliance, or a significant breach of a permit condition. Each version of OMA has been accompanied by guidance which describes in detail how OMA works, and how site officers apply scores for each element. ►

Dr Richard Gould, Technical Advisor at Environment Agency


This structure and approach has been broadly retained throughout all four versions of OMA; however, there have been changes in the way that OMA has been applied, as well as some changes to its structure. The first version of OMA applied to IPC sites and covered emissions to air, whilst the second version was amended to apply to the larger number of IPPC installations. However, site-officers still only assessed the monitoring of emissions to air, whilst some reported that five sections could be unweildy. So Version 3 was streamlined following feedback, combining the sections on maintenance and calibration. Additionally, the EA began to apply OMA to assess the monitoring of effluent discharges.

Enter the fourth version of OMAThe latest version of OMA still has four sections and at face value it does not appear to have changed much; however, a closer inspection shows that there are some major changes. Table 1 shows the four sections and the elements that they cover. Overall, the structure has changed in four ways, which are:

• An alignment with the management-systems approach.

• A clear separation between periodic and continuous monitoring.

• Stronger requirements for monitoring.

• New guidance.

Each of these aspects is described in turn:

(i) Alignment with the management-systems approachOMA has now been designed to align better with the Shewhart Cycle, otherwise known as the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle which commonly forms the core of management-systems standards such as ISO 14001 for environmental management-systems and ISO 9001 for quality management-systems. This is important because all modern permits now require an operator to have a management system, and most, if not all operators have a system based on standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. As OMA is now used as a means to audit the conditions in a permit, rather than serve as a stand-alone assessment, it is easier to use as an auditing tool when aligned with the PDCA cycle. For example, the first section covers areas such as planning, procedures and the management of monitoring, whilst the second and third sections cover the implementation, calibration and operation of monitoring, whilst the final section covers checking and preventative action.

(ii) Separation of periodic and continuous monitoringThe second and third sections of OMA cover periodic monitoring and continuous monitoring respectively. In the previous versions, periodic monitoring and continuous monitoring were combined in the sections for maintenance, calibration and monitoring methods. This in turn led to some inconsistencies and confusion regarding how site officers should apply each element, and how operators should interpret the requirements. So in the latest version of OMA, the second and third sections mirror one another as each element would apply to both periodic and continuous monitoring, although there is a clear distinction between the two types of monitoring.

(iii) Stronger standards for monitoringOMA has led to significant improvements in monitoring. At the same time, technologies and techniques advance, whilst the new IED emphasises the mandatory nature of Best Available Techniques (BAT). In the past and under IPPC, there was a great deal of debate about BAT and whether this applied to monitoring; however, the IED is very clear in this respect and prescribes that BAT does indeed apply to monitoring. Therefore OMA now reflects this; however, it does mean that the highest scores will have to reflect BAT, so in effect, the bar has been raised.

Additionally, the fundamental elements have been retained, but renamed critical elements. This is because many people asked for a definition of a fundamental element, and the answer was always the same – the aspects of monitoring that are critical for quality.

(iv) New guidanceThe guidance for OMA has been revised accordingly. Furthermore, the guidance for OMA has been divided into two separate documents: one applies to emissions to air and the second applies to discharges of effluent to water.

SummaryThe EA updated OMA following the experience of using OMA, and in response to feedback from both operators and the EA’s site-officers. The latest version of OMA has been streamlined, and aligned with the PDCA-cycle commonly applied in management-systems. The EA is training its site-officers in the changes to OMA, and will gradually phase in the application of Version 4 during 2013. ►

The EA updated OMA following the experience of using OMA, and in response to feedback from both operators and the EA’s site-officers.

Explaining quality-control procedures to an OMA auditor


Section Elements1. Management of monitoring A. Documentation of management-system procedures for monitoring

B. Organisational structure for monitoring

C. Planning and schedules for monitoring, including contingencies

D. Monitoring records and use of monitoring data

E. Understanding the requirements of the permit and monitoring techniques, CEN/ISO/ ..................national standards and methods

2. Periodic monitoring and test laboratories A. Sampling provisions (Critical element)

B. Certification of Instruments

C. Measurement methods and standards (Critical element)

D. Calibration methods (Critical element)

E. Frequency of maintenance and calibration

F. Reliability of methods and equipment

G. Breakdown response

H. Traceability

3. Continuous monitoring A. Provisions for monitoring and location of CEMs (Critical element)

B. Certification of CEMs

C. Calibration methods (Critical element)

D. Frequency of maintenance and calibration

E. Equipment reliability

F. Breakdown response

G. Traceability

4. Quality assurance A. External quality control Schemes

B. Internal data QC

C. Competence of monitoring personnel

D. Auditing of monitoring

E. Audit compliance

F. Reporting ■

Ensuring that periodic monitoring meets the required international standards, applied through MCERTS


It is now just over 60 years since the Great Smog of London that was responsible for the deaths of around 4,000 people and led to the development of the Clean Air Act of 1956. This landmark piece of environmental legislation resulted in substantial improvements to ambient air quality. However, large numbers of people are still dying from air pollution and as a result, air quality is once again making the headlines.

The 1956 Clean Air Act introduced a number of measures to reduce air pollution, such as the introduction of smoke

control areas in selected towns and cities in which only smokeless fuels could be burned. Industrial furnaces

could no longer emit ‘dark smoke’ and households were offered grants to convert from coal to

smokeless fuel.

The move to cleaner forms of heating, including electricity and gas,

significantly lowered levels of particulate and sulphur dioxide

pollution. In addition, the Act relocated power stations away from cities, and forced

the height of some industrial chimneys to be increased. ►

Clean air – still a political objective after 60 yearsAs the 60th anniversary of the Great Smog of London passes, Jim Mills, Managing Director of Air Monitors, explains why air quality is once again at the top of the political agenda.


It is now just over 60 years since the Great Smog of London that was responsible for the deaths of around 4,000 people and led to the development of the Clean Air Act of 1956. This landmark piece of environmental legislation resulted in substantial improvements to ambient air quality. However, large numbers of people are still dying from air pollution and as a result, air quality is once again making the headlines.

The 1956 Clean Air Act introduced a number of measures to reduce air pollution, such as the introduction of smoke control areas in selected towns and cities in which only smokeless fuels could be burned. Industrial furnaces could no longer emit ‘dark smoke’ and households were offered grants to convert from coal to smokeless fuel.

The move to cleaner forms of heating, including electricity and gas, significantly lowered levels of particulate and sulphur dioxide pollution. In addition, the Act relocated power stations away from cities, and forced the height of some industrial chimneys to be increased.

60 years laterDespite the improvements that have been made to certain aspects of air quality, large numbers of deaths still result from air pollution. According to the European Commission, some 500,000 people die prematurely in the EU 27, mainly due to exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (atmospheric microparticles or ‘dust’ of a diameter of less than 2.5 microns), which originates from residential heating, transport (diesel cars and trucks, ships and planes), agriculture, industrial processes and power production.

Europe is not the only region to be affected. A report recently published in The Lancet entitled ‘Global Burden of Disease’ reported that in 2010, more than 2.1 million people in Asia died prematurely from air pollution, mostly from the minute particles of diesel soot and gases emitted from cars and trucks. Worldwide, a record 3.2 million people a year died from air pollution in 2010, compared with 800,000 in 2000, the report said. As a consequence, air pollution now ranks in the world’s top 10 list of killer diseases for the first time.

Air quality is good over most of the UK but towns and cities continue to suffer. It has been estimated that 4,300 Londoners now die prematurely each year as a result of air pollution (29,000 UK-wide, according to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). This is no longer because of coal fires but is attributed to nitrogen dioxide and fine particulates, mainly from vehicles. London may have the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide of any capital city in the EU, with some areas of the city showing three times the legal limit.

The populations of the world’s major cities have rocketed in recent decades and the volume of traffic has grown exponentially, so it is hardly surprising that a new set of air quality challenges have arisen.

climate change because, after carbon dioxide, it is the second largest contributor to current global warming.

Encouragingly, as of 7th February 2013, 27 countries, including the UK, the European Union, and all of the partners of the UNEP Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) have agreed to implement ‘fast action on reducing black carbon, methane, some hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and other short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs)’. These reductions have the potential to slow a global temperature rise by up to 0.5C by 2050, to reduce air pollution-related deaths by as much as 2.4 million and crop losses by around 30 million tonnes annually.

The United Nations recently published data which showed that mercury emissions are rising in a number of developing nations. However, in January 2013 more than 140 countries agreed a set of legally binding measures to curb mercury pollution, which included measures to reduce emissions from power plants and metals production facilities.

In the UK, one of the Coalition’s original pledges was to work towards EU air quality standards although this has been refined into a mid-term ‘to-do’ list which seeks to curb air pollution in towns and cities.

urban air qualityInitiatives to improve air quality are focused on those urban areas that suffer from the highest levels of pollution. For example, air quality improvements can be made by: improving the availability of public transport; by improving traffic management; by restricting vehicular

access; by limiting industrial emissions, and by improving the quality of vehicle emissions.

It is likely that air quality improvements will be possible through the development of appropriate traffic management systems. For example, an EU funded project CARBOTRAF, combines real-time monitoring of traffic and air pollution in Glasgow and Graz with simulation models for the prediction of CO² and black carbon emissions in

order to provide on-line recommendations for alternative traffic management options. The research is ongoing, but the participants hope to develop a system which combines air quality monitoring with traffic management to automatically protect air quality.

The role of air quality monitoringClearly, policy makers need reliable air quality data to make informed decisions and to be able to measure the effects of policy. Monitoring technology therefore has a vital role to perform. However, the developers and manufacturers of air quality monitoring equipment have to design instruments that meet the requirements of standards such as BS, AFNOR, ASTM, TÜV, EN and ISO, so it is important that these standards reflect the

Political recognitionIn November 2011 Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, expressed his determination to make 2013 the ‘Year of Air’. He acknowledged that there has been substantial improvement in air quality in recent decades but in the light of the environmental/climate issues surrounding air quality and the large number of premature deaths resulting from air pollution, he said: “The challenge for all of us is to address the shortcomings of existing regulations in a decisive and coordinated way. This will require the goodwill of policy-makers at all levels – European, national, regional and local – as well as other stakeholders such as the automotive and oil industries.”

The European Environment Agency’s 2011 report on air quality reflects air quality improvements for a number of key parameters, with concentrations of sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide falling by about half in the decade ending in 2009. However, the report also shows that in 2008, levels of nitrogen oxide, ozone and particulate matter have risen, fuelling concerns about overall air quality, especially in urban areas.

A further problem associated with tiny particles is their ability to act as “sponges” carrying small amounts of toxic species such as PAH’s and Dioxins which are adsorbed onto Black Carbon particles and transported deep into the body. PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring measurements provide a total figure for everything with mass in the sample and thereby assume that all particles are of equal significance. In reality this is not the case because some of the particles are benign from a human health perspective or are not anthropogenic so are of less interest from an air quality management perspective.

It is fortunate that the fine particles (from the combustion of fossil fuels) that are of most interest are Black Carbon and can be measured with an Aethalometer, which employs an optical method to only measure those fine particles which are black. A further consideration with Black Carbon is its role in

The 1956 Clean Air Act introduced a number of measures to reduce air pollution, such as the introduction of smoke control areas in selected

towns and cities in which only smokeless fuels could be burned.

►


needs of society. For example, early monitoring standards for particulates measured particles according to their size and weight, but took little account of finer particles including black carbon and those with a diameter of less than 1 micron (PM1) due to their much lower mass.

It has now become clear that finer particulates are responsible for many of the deaths attributable to poor air quality, so new standards are required. Finer particles are able to travel deeper into the respiratory system, and because these tiny particles can act as sponges, they can carry small amounts of toxic species such as PAH’s and Dioxins which are adsorbed onto black carbon particles and transported deep into the body.

Instrument manufacturers are therefore developing new technologies that are able to provide more information on these finer particles. For example, a new Fine Dust Analysis System (FIDAS) has been developed in Germany which offers additional information on both particle size distribution from 0.18 – 30 microns and on particle number in each size range. It also provides continuous real-time simultaneous mass concentration measurements of Total Suspended Particulates, PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. This will improve our understanding of particulate pollution and complement existing PM monitoring technology such as the TEOM FDMS, which is a standard method in many countries.

The standard methods for measuring pollutants such as particulates are extremely important because they can have an enormous impact on air quality. For example, if the methods for measuring particulates change to include finer particulates, the designers of vehicle engines and industrial combustion processes will have to respond accordingly.

Some of the ways in which advances in monitoring technology can help improve our understanding of the factors affecting air quality and the relationship between air quality and health will be discussed by speakers at AQE 2013 – an international event dedicated to air quality monitoring and taking place in Telford (UK) on 13th to 14th March (see www.aqeshow.com).

Monitoring sitesTraditionally, one of the greatest challenges in monitoring urban air quality is finding a suitable location at which to site the monitoring station. Standard reference method analysers are generally housed in a large air conditioned chamber that requires mains power and necessitates a significant footprint which, in towns and cities, usually means that planning permission is necessary. As a result, many of these stations are not necessarily located in the best position for sampling the air that people are breathing, so the Holy Grail for ambient air monitoring is a smaller battery powered station that delivers data of a similar quality.

In recent years, low cost electrochemical sensors have advanced considerably and have begun to offer an opportunity for supplementing standard monitoring systems with larger numbers of smaller, more flexible, monitors. However, until recently, these

Looking forwardWith so many political agreements and with air quality regularly making the headlines, it appears that Janez Potočnik’s desire for 2013 to be the year of air will come true. However, it is clear that developments in monitoring technology have the potential to drive improvements in air quality as long as standards are updated quickly so that new improved technologies can be assimilated into monitoring networks.

As the quality and effectiveness of air quality monitoring improves, scientists will be in a better position to understand the interactions between different pollutants, their causes, and the effects that they have on human health and the environment. ■

electrochemical sensors have been unable to deliver sufficiently accurate data at the low levels required – parts per billion (ppb).

In March 2013 a new type of ambient monitor will be made available to the market. Known as ‘AQMesh’ the new monitors are low cost, small, battery powered, web enabled and suitable for mounting on a normal lamp post. This will dramatically alter ambient air quality monitoring, because it will enable the location of accurate monitoring systems at the locations of most interest.

AQMesh will supplement existing networks by enabling air quality to be monitored in the locations that need to be monitored rather than where equipment can be conveniently positioned. The small post-mounted units will be completely wireless, using battery power and GPRS communications. AQMesh ‘pods’ will measure the main air polluting gases and wirelessly communicate data to a ‘cloud’ where sophisticated data management will generate highly accurate readings. Users will be able to view or download data from up to hundreds of pods via an online portal.

In March 2013 a new type of ambient monitor will be made available to the market. Known as ‘AQMesh’ the new monitors are low cost, small, battery powered, web enabled and suitable for mounting on a normal lamp post.


Conservation

Transport

Water

Miscellany

News

54 - 56

58 - 59


Air Quality

Energy



Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling

Save Our Species, Save Our Selves - Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié

Nutkin ventured, Nutkin gained: Restoring the Fortunes of the British Red Squirrel - Dr Craig Shuttleworth


The numbers are shocking, depressing even. Approximately 20,000 species of animals and plants around the world face extinction with species disappearing currently at a rate up to 1,000 times higher than normal. And this number is just the result of the assessment of 65,000 species from a possible 10 million species in existence. Research indicates 25% of mammals, 41% of amphibians, 33% of reef-forming corals and 13% of birds are at risk of extinction. Our children may never have the opportunity to see a living wild orang utan, Javan rhino or sawfish if it continues like this. This constitutes the biggest such crisis in the history of our earth since the dinosaurs! Fortunately, these saddening figures are not the final word in the tale of life on earth, for there is hope, according to SOS - Save Our Species Director, Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié.

Conservation isn’t just for NGOs and governments, says Vié: it’s something we all need to work on. We all depend on species for myriad vital life services such as food, fuel, shelter, leisure, materials, medicines, tourism and inspiration. That is why the SOS slogan reads “Save Our Species, Save Our Selves”. Is there an issue more universal? Is there a more noble cause than preserving the diversity of life itself? Indeed, there is much that can be done and much to be done, but with urgency, he stresses.

The same organisation that performed the research which produced those solemn statistics - the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - is the one that forged SOS in association with the World Bank and Global Environmental Facility (GEF). SOS is the tool Vié is sharing with businesses and individuals alike in the effort to tackle the environmental crisis from the ground up. Starting in 2010 with approximately 50 projects in operation so far and many more to come, SOS already works with in excess

of 150 species including rhinos, tigers, dolphins and elephants. SOS also works with lesser known species including numerous amphibians, plants, birds and terrestrial mammals. Nokia, the initiative’s first corporate partner was so enthused with SOS that it approached Vié to collaborate on media products and win-win communications opportunities. Because of Nokia, we could fund more projects sooner than expected, explains Vié.

“The triggers to extinction are man-made in general. There is simply too much habitat destruction and disruption, too much harvesting in the form of poaching and hunting to feed people and fuel the wildlife trade. Invasive species decimating indigenous populations are another – the grey squirrel for instance in the British Isles is a classic example, virtually replacing the native red squirrel, or aquatic invasive species causing billions of dollars damage to economies worldwide.” Climate change to some extent is also putting pressure on species but most importantly it is inaction and lack of political will to act decisively he believes, although there are many progressive businesses who see the business opportunity in participating such as Nokia.

In many cases, Vié explains, we already have the international agreements in place, such as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity under which 190+ countries agreed to “spell out” what is also known as Aichi Target 12. This target, which is one of 20 aiming at better preserving biodiversity, explicitly aims to reduce extinction by 2020. The UN Millennium goals also have a chance to be reached if Goal 7 aiming at environmental sustainability is met. A myriad of other international conventions on wildlife trafficking, fisheries management, migratory species to name a few also pursue a similar goal. We have the infrastructures in place and in development such as national parks, protected areas, heritage sites, conservation strategies and action plans, legislations, satellite and mobile communications technologies that can support remote fieldwork to name but a few of the resources at hand. But we cannot wait for the slow wheels of policy to turn words into action.

A groundswell of change is already happening however, Vié points out, with citizen activists reporting and supporting initiatives on the ground from Malaysia to Namibia, Antarctica to Alaska and everywhere in between. These are no longer just seen as tree-hugging fanatics, but people from all walks of life who see the urgency to do something, or are simply passionate about nature and feel impelled to do something to help protect it but struggle to

Save Our Selves

Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié, SOS- Save Our Species Director IUCN


find a way to engage. SOS is an opportunity for them. The power of the Internet and social media play no small part in this growing awareness that nature and wildlife in particular are in crisis and that we have the answers in our hands. So perhaps some forms of change will come from the bottom up, supported by the wider reaching influence of policymakers and businesses when they see the protection of nature float higher and higher to the top of people’s priorities in life.

As a funding mechanism, SOS is a partnership between founding members, corporate sponsors, governments, foundations and private individuals passionate about nature conservation as a means to solving environmental, developmental and community issues together in one holistic approach. Businesses also do realize that they largely depend on nature for their own survival. If you protect the Golden Mantella frog inhabiting Madagascar, he explains, you must protect its habitat, the forest pond, and to do that, you must work with local villagers who can patrol the area deterring illegal artisanal gold miners who destroy the ponds in search of gold but also alter the quality of the water they depend on. Meanwhile those same villagers become proud that the Golden Mantella is unique to the forests of Mangabe in Madagascar and see a potential tourism opportunity knowing that it must be managed carefully to succeed. We help make people proud of what they have instead of telling them what they miss.

Founded in 1948 the IUCN is the oldest global conservation organisation in the world and has a pedigree in championing innovative ways of tackling environmental issues. For example, the WWF which it founded in 1961 has become a globally recognised brand. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year is the world’s foremost conservation knowledge tool empowering governments, businesses and NGO’s to make informed decisions with respect to the impacts on species of development decisions. The Red List, as it is commonly known, assesses species’ vulnerability to extinction on a 7-point scale from least concern (e.g. humans) to extinction (e.g. the dodo or the Caribbean Monk seal). IUCN also introduced the term Sustainable Development to the world in the 1970’s and played a key role in the establishment of international environmental conventions.

For a long time conservation had been strictly restricted to a species approach explains Vié. Then environmental solutions and conservation started shifting

away from species conservation trying to focus on ecosystems services. It is now increasingly recognised that the species approach was very useful and indeed resulted in some of the best documented conservation successes. With 11,000 members and a knowledge network of 8,000 species experts called the Species Survival Commission, the IUCN is an organisation with global reach and impact. It really has unparalleled capacity to consult on conservation in the field, the boardrooms and the parliaments of the world.

SOS taps into this expertise and global network to exclusively finance best in class conservation projects that can make measurable and meaningful positive differences to species that are classified as either Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered, termed as a group as “threatened species”. Often this involves the local community who might depend directly or indirectly on a local species, economically or culturally for example. Project applications are evaluated by groups of species experts before shortlisted projects are funded for periods of between 1 and 2 years.

The entire process is monitored by the World Bank and independent auditors. This makes for a watertight investment prospect in terms of project management. IUCN itself remains neutral and objective in the process: instead of funding its own projects through SOS it identifies the best it can through transparent processes taking into account the wishes of its partners when they are expressed. Meanwhile, there is ample opportunity to communicate and engage with audiences with content of amazing species to be used in corporate and product marketing initiatives. People relate with species. They represent concrete conservation symbols. We depend on them for life but also as environmental indicators, Vié elaborates. That is why they are a great entry point into environmental conservation for partner organisations. Threatened species are SOS entry point and the focus of communication but to preserve them we need to preserve their habitats and work closely with the people sharing this habitat with them. To protect the remaining populations of tigers, we need to preserve forest habitats and their multiple benefits, maintain good population of preys, solve conflicts between humans and tigers and work with people to find sources of alternative livelihoods.

With an international career protecting endangered species spanning three decades, Vié who works for IUCN as Deputy Director of the Species

Paul Marshall

Andrew WalmsleySacha Dench

►


Programme and Director of SOS reflects on what is prevalent and prescient in terms of conservation today. All species groups are threatened, he says. Some more so than others and for a variety of reasonsthere is not a magic solution that fits all animals, plants and fungi. More than extinction it is maybe the sharp decline in abundance of species which is worrying, including the common ones. A recent report published in Science magazine¹ estimated that the annual cost to effect a positive change to all IUCN Red List threatened species would cost just $4bn annually, and $80bn annually if ecosystem protection is factored in as well. This is a fraction of the economic benefits we gain from nature and species, calculated in the trillions annually on a global scale according to The Economics and Ecosystems of Biodiversity group (TEEB). In fact it is a mere 16% of the total profits earned by the top 100 Fortune 500 companies in 2011 and less than 1% of total annual military spending worldwide. It is clear that more needs to be done and more can be done. This is a universal cause that affects us all in the same way, ultimately.

What is emerging is that community oriented species-level conservation is becoming an increasingly important and defining way to create environmental resilience. It is not because we work on nature that we do not incorporate the needs and knowhow of local stakeholders; we do so in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of local initiatives. Vié cites an example from Viet Nam where SOS is funding a project that aims to tackle poaching of the Critically Endangered Francois langur - a beautiful small primate with distinctive sideburns and spiky hair protected under national law but threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Work began engaging with local youth groups to raise awareness about the tourism value of the langurs among village communities in Lam Binh province. The project in coordination with locals also organised a ‘sting’ operation to capture a suspected poacher illegally trading in animal parts which sent out a strong message that the Lam Binh community would not abide poaching. The next phase is the development of an eco-tourism destination based on the presence of a healthy langur population in the surrounding jungle of this remote region. In short, conservation can create jobs and sustainable economic development. We often tend to forget that nature conservation creates jobs and SOS is no exception.

Performing the conservation efforts that contribute measurable differences to species’ prospects is prescient but so too is that the message gets out

beyond the scientific community and the ‘converted’. This is a universal issue Vié asserts and his priority is to engage more with corporate audiences and younger generations of people who each have different spheres of influence in championing this message globally. Just as with communities, the key is participation and a sense of ownership he believes. The price for doing nothing is simply too high.

There is no sensible price to pay for biodiversity loss. The web of life is so intricate and finely balanced that we can’t really say what we are losing if we lose a species. In many ways we are already paying the price in respect of degraded ecosystems due to intensive forms of monocultures, decimated bee populations impeding the natural pollination of agricultural and wild plants. At present the dominant economic model is focused on short term material gains in the form of financial profits. This simply cannot capture the value of preserving nature and species intact for longer-term less transparent benefits. Granted, economic modelling is in transition and a wealth of papers calculating the economic value of species to local communities are emerging such as the tourism value of whales, birds, Manta rays and sharks to tropical island holiday destinations, for example.

Save Our Species exists because there is a need for such a mechanism that joins up the dots for conservationists, communities, businesses, policymakers and individuals. It is a young initiative that grows with popular support. It needs to join the energies and skills and knowhow of all these stakeholders to make the lasting positive difference we and the world’s wildlife so desperately need. To support SOS, visit the website, sign up for its newsletter, donate or contact the SOS team directly to learn more about how SOS works and how you too can become a partner. ■

Reference ¹ Financial Costs of Meeting Two Global Biodiversity Conservation Targets: Current Spending and Unmet Needs Science 16 November 2012: Vol. 338 no. 6109 pp. 946-949DOI:10.1126/science.1229803


Landscape scale community based projects now herald a new and exciting chapter in the successful conservation of the native red squirrel in Britain. This article describes the pioneering work that is being undertaken by the Red Squirrel Survival Trust and partners to safeguard strategic national populations. It highlights the evolving approach in tackling the challenges posed by the introduced grey squirrel by integrating advances in scientific understanding of red & grey squirrel ecology with dynamic landowner and volunteer based partnerships.First introduced into Britain in 1876, and with additional introductions and translocations until the 1920s, the North American eastern grey squirrel encountered a landscape of fragmented woodlands with relatively few potential predators compared with its original environment. The smaller and more arboreal Eurasian red squirrel was the only native squirrel species present, and because this mammal had shown marked historical population fluctuations and local extinctions, subsequent regional population declines were initially not associated with the establishment of grey squirrels.

Today with the benefit of intensive radio-tracking, dietary and mark-recapture studies in mixed red and grey population areas it is now known that there is complete dietary overlap between red and grey squirrels with direct inter-species aggression relatively infrequent. Tree seed makes up the bulk of the diet with tree flowers, shoots and buds along with fungi making up a significant secondary component. In broadleaved woodlands containing oak, grey squirrels have a major competitive advantage over the red because they are better able to break down tannins and extract protein from acorns. In coniferous stands, particularly spruce dominated plantations where the small tree seed size makes it difficult for larger grey squirrels to obtain their daily energy requirements, the red squirrel is at less of a competitive disadvantage. However even in conifer woodland red squirrel populations are still eventually lost. In all habitats the presence of grey squirrels reduces local juvenile red squirrel survival rates and consequently leads to progressive population decline and eventual extinctions. ►

Nutkin ventured, Nutkin gained: Restoring the Fortunes of the British Red Squirrel Dr Craig Shuttleworth, Conservation

Advisor ,Red Squirrel Survival Trust


The interaction between red and grey squirrels is further complicated because grey squirrels carry the squirrel pox virus as a subclinical type infection, showing no obvious symptoms to a virus that causes pathological disease and mortality in the native red squirrel. This infection leads to a more rapid replacement of red by grey squirrels in a landscape than resource competition alone. In the absence of a vaccine, the threat of squirrel pox virus means that conservation strategies must seek to maintain complete separation between the two species.

The grey squirrel is now a common feature of woodlands, parks, and gardens across large swathes of the British countryside. There can be no denying that this acrobatic and bold little creature delights many people with its antics, and that grey squirrels are often one of the few mammal species that the public regularly encounter. However, independent polling conducted for Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) and European Squirrel Initiative has annually demonstrated that this truth has not dampened national public support for red squirrel conservation, including measures that involve grey squirrel culling. A close examination of regional poll data reveals surprisingly little variation in public opinion with residents of counties from which red squirrels have been absent for more than 50 years as keen to see red squirrel populations conserved as those living in Scotland and the North of England where stronghold populations persist. In 2010 market research carried out on behalf of RSST revealed that 78% of UK adults wanted to see the native red squirrel survive.

Allied to public support for red squirrel conservation measures are those of the timber growing industry because of the significant economic cost of bark-stripping of hardwood trees like oak, beech and sycamore by grey squirrels. And in addition, recent research by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has also found robust evidence of depressed woodland song-bird fledging rates in the presence of grey squirrels relative to habitats where greys are removed. Such negative ecological and economic impacts create a classic global example of the ecological damage that introducing non-native species can have.

Recognising the threat posed by the grey squirrel, cartridge schemes, tail bounties and attempts at co-ordinating regional control have historically been applied, but none of these culling measures appears to have had sustained measurable affects upon populations. In the 1990s the Governments flagship ‘Species Recovery Programme’ focussed upon halting the extinction of red squirrels in Thetford Forest via grey control and parallel red squirrel translocation. Ultimately the level of dedicated project resources available were insufficient to prevent sustained grey squirrel reinvasion and the resulting catalogue of disease outbreaks in the remnant red squirrel population led to the scheme ending. The project did however pioneer the recording of systematic data on temporal captures per unit effort and per woodland area, in addition to cataloguing biometric data from culled animals. Analysis of these data has advanced scientific protocols and formed the basis of a decision to attempt an ambitious plan to establish the island of Anglesey as a safe haven for native reds. This necessitated the design and development of a grey squirrel eradication programme.

In 1998 only 40 adult red squirrels remained on the 720km2 island of Anglesey. The small population was confined within a commercial conifer plantation in a wider landscape inhabited by three or four thousand grey squirrels. Blood testing indicated that around 60% of adult grey squirrels had antibodies to squirrel pox virus, an exposure rate typical of the national average, and a level presenting a considerable threat to the red squirrels. The progressive removal of grey squirrels led to high rates of juvenile red squirrel survival and dramatic population growth. Dispersal into adjacent broadleaved stands occurred, and in 2001 the first young red squirrels were born in hazel woodland. Today there are over 500 red squirrels on the island.

Strong community support and partnership between the North Wales Wildlife Trust, other wildlife Charities and statutory conservation bodies provided the framework to take the eradication forward and to clear grey squirrels from both rural and suburban habitats. Interestingly, retrospective analysis of grey squirrel viral screening revealed that squirrel pox infection amongst greys declined as their numbers were reduced and so the virus became extinct before the last grey squirrels were caught. This key finding means that there is scope to remove or limit the threat posed by squirrel pox if grey squirrel abundance can be maintained at a low level. Anglesey also

demonstrated that regional targeted grey squirrel control was acceptable to local people and could deliver red squirrel recolonisation of historical range areas including by dispersal across fragmented woodland landscapes.

The applied conservation lessons learned in Thetford and on Anglesey have informed a new pioneering suite of national initiatives such as Red Squirrels Northern England and Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels. These projects have also benefited from the parallel evolution of local volunteer groups like Northern Red Squirrels which work with professional trappers funded either via forestry grant schemes or from core regional project funds. In this way it has been possible to establish a network of systematic grey squirrel control across private and public sector woodlands.

Projects have also incorporated the results of new scientific field studies to make conservation efforts much more robust. Recent research has encompassed forest habitat management, squirrel translocation and interactions between squirrels and predatory species. Technological

advances are also being embraced to evolve national strategy. Conservation managers are, for example, using wildlife stealth cameras as a monitoring tool to provide indirect indices of squirrel population abundance. Cameras replace relatively time consuming methods that proved impractical for intensive wide scale use such as tubes which capture hair from foraging squirrels. The hair-tubes required a protracted process of individual hair shaft staining and microscopic cross section examination to determine squirrel species.

Research is also underway to produce a squirrel pox vaccine and although complex research phases remain, development via the injection and oral bait routes is much more of a tangible reality today than the mere theoretical possibility it was a few years ago. A vaccine would enable conservationists to limit the impact of pathological disease in red squirrel populations where grey squirrels were present and hence make red squirrel conservation measures even more robust.

Strong community involvement in the development and implementation of red squirrel conservation has proved the vital ingredient in successful initiatives that have ultimately safeguarded populations and which are increasingly heralding the return of red squirrels back into formally occupied habitats. Over 100 members of the public are also working as ‘Citizen Scientists’ alongside Red Squirrels Northern England project staff to monitor squirrels in the spring and autumn in order to provide distribution data that is being used by scientists to assess the success of current conservation strategies.

Red squirrel conservation remains challenging but with vibrant local partnerships there are at last opportunities to reverse the fortunes of this enchanting native mammal. ■

In 1998 only 40 adult red

squirrels remained on the 720km2

island of Anglesey

www.rsst.org.uk



Energy

News

Transport

Water

Miscellany


Air Quality

Conservation



Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling

The Solar Century - Jeremy Leggett

A new community approach to renewable - Merlin Hyman

Energy Efficiency: The ‘known knowns’ and the ‘known unknowns’ of energy efficiency - Dr. Steven Fawkes

Green Deal and what it means for insulation businesses - Tom Lock

National Insulation Association gears up to maximise the opportunities under the Green Deal and ECO - Neil Marshall

62 - 63

64 - 66

67 - 68

70 - 71

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The Solar CenturyJeremy Leggett

Writing over four years ago in our book “The Solar Century,” I observed optimistically that there had been a fundamental change in attitudes towards solar energy and to

renewables more generally in the UK. At the start of the Millennium, most

“true believers in a renewable-powered future were

environmental campaigners,”but

“today, true believers span a wide spectrum including right across the business world”.

To which in 2013 we might add that even some senior UK Government Ministers now “get it” in a way which would have seemed fanciful when Solarcentury was founded back in the 1990s. As the progressive 2020 Group of Conservative MPs concluded recently, a new sustainable energy industrial revolution is (or should be) upon us. ►


“Never before has an economic re-alignment been supported by so many less than usual bedfellows. Organizations ranging from the CBI to the largest corporations such as Unilever, BAT, Siemens, Alstom and Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Church Groups have all been supporting the need for very clear messages from Government on decarbonisation.”

Ecobuild, now in its ninth year, represents a microcosm of that rapid evolutionary process and the ongoing task of “mainstreaming” vital survival technologies. Ecobuild has grown far beyond the stereotypical “cottage industry” gatherings of pioneering companies and campaigning “true believers” which characterised UK renewables trade shows in the early years of the century.

For most of Solarcentury’s existence and despite the long list of Prime Ministers and would-be Prime Ministers that keep knocking on our door, I have long held the view that the company succeeded during this period despite, and not because of, public policy. Having said that, there is absolutely no question that the last Labour government’s decision to introduce the feed-in tariff, after years of telling us that this policy was OK in Germany but impossible here, was the crucial “game changer” that solar PV needed in the UK. I recall the startled expressions on the faces of sceptical DECC officials when we explained to them at a meeting in 2009 at Number Ten that “get this feed-in tariff policy right and solar PV will not need a financial support mechanism towards the end of the next decade”. This year’s DECC solar route map provides an opportunity, just four years later, to set out the next steps to achieving solar grid parity well before 2020 in the UK and to establishing PV as a genuine stand-alone technology.

For all of that, it would be naïve to pretend that all in the UK renewables garden is rosy. Solarcentury’s very necessary and successful legal challenge to DECCs retrospective feed-in tariff changes in 2011 was an important victory for all renewables, not just solar PV. The scale of investment required to deliver the “green” industrial revolution envisaged by the 2020 group of Conservative MPs cannot be delivered if investors are continually worrying about whether their investments are safe from Government u-turn and knee-jerk policy making. Or rather it can be delivered in an environment of political risk, but at a massively increased cost. More generally, the continuing fossil fuel v renewable energy contradictions at the heart of government energy policy making are self-evident, as the recent disputes between Treasury and DECC have illustrated. There are important nuances of course in that debate but putting it bluntly, the longer we stay dependent on gas and oil the more we become dependent for our energy on those who control the pipelines and the tanker routes. It’s as simple as that. That scenario is incompatible with delivering genuinely sustainable energy security and lower cost energy to any meaningful timeframe. So we need a low-carbon future that involves an accelerating retreat from carbon fuels, not efforts to find and develop more. Despite the promise of a long overdue DECC solar PV energy strategy in 2013, UK Solar in particular faces important challenges ranging from the very real threat of EU imposed tariffs on Chinese module imports, to remaining uncertainty over the treatment of the technology in the Energy Bill. Set against the “good news” of the Government’s revised renewables roadmap and the welcome stability (for now) of the renewables obligation banding decision, it is instructive that what the Government now accepts as a “key” technology, already cheaper than offshore wind, is envisaged to contribute, at the lower end of DECCs PV projections, only 7GWp of capacity to the UKs 2020 renewables target. That is less PV than Italy (9.3GWp) and Germany (7.5 GWp) installed in 2011 alone. Even the top end 2020 projection of 20GWp represents a step back from the Minister’s earlier 22GWp “ambition” and would leave the UK well behind the European market leaders in this technology in 2020.

Having said that, it would be churlish to deny that this scale of Ministerial ambition (if policies are implemented through the medium term that make its achievement possible) represents an astonishing advance in the position of the UK PV sector. Just three years ago, we were measuring the annual UK market in single figure Megawatts not Gigawatts. This year, Solarcentury has begun work on the UKs largest solar PV rooftop project to date (5.1 MWp), greater in size than all of the PV installed in the whole of the UK in 2008 (4.4 MWp).

PV has delivered what successive departments have spent a decade and more telling us that they want it to do, ie cost-effectiveness against non-onshore wind technologies, so it’s no surprise that the Whitehall mind-set towards PV is finally beginning to change. But challenges still remain. Despite price falls of 70% since the start of the feed-in tariff, proposals for the treatment of PV in the coming Energy Bill actually take the technology (and biomass) out of the general contracts for difference “pot” available to all other technologies, in order to “protect” the available funding for other technologies (including those such as offshore wind that are now more expensive than large-scale PV). Really? If the Government is still not prepared to get fully and unambiguously behind this technology at the point at which it becomes cheaper than the marginal technology required to deliver the 2020 target as cost-effectively as possible, then some will continue to wonder whether it will ever do so. That lingering outdated mind-set is frustratingly familiar to us at Solarcentury and actually contrary to the clear PV as “key” technology message of the renewables road map, so I hope that Ministers will think hard before institutionalising yet again the notion that PV must always be considered a “threat” to the “funding pot” rather than now seeing it as a cost-effective “opportunity.” In 2013, the specifics of solar PV policy making are important, but so is the need for a genuinely enlightened overarching sustainable energy vision at the heart of government. I remain an optimist, but many would still bet on the wrong strategic decisions being taken by Ministers, some of whom still appear wedded to making policy by Daily Mail headline and missing the global “big picture”. For a country like the UK, with such a severe austerity programme underway, we probably have only one shot at capitalising a 21st century energy infrastructure at the pace and scale necessary to deliver our low and then zero carbon future. But if multiple tens of billions are poured into gas infrastructure instead, to the detriment of renewable energy and energy-efficiency alternatives, and then the shale gas vision proves impossible to export from the US, it is not an exaggeration to suggest that we are courting national disaster. Lights will go off. Fuel poverty will soar. Any semblance of national economic recovery will stall. And all of that against a backdrop of predictions of catastrophic climate change.

A new full IPCC scientific assessment report is now clearly overdue. The next, the fifth, is to be published this year, after a gap of fully seven years. It is going to make for very sobering reading. The former chair of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, now at KPMG, professes that this report “will scare the wits out of everyone” and “shock nations into action”. That is why, and despite the important steps forward taken last year, the temptation in the UK to still approach solar issues in terms of “funding pots” and very short-term spending review horizons can be so depressingly frustrating. 2013 has to be the year that this mindset is finally consigned to the political dustbin for good. For “true believers” the alternative, on a planet en route to six degrees warming – a level that threatens the very future of civilization – would not only be economic and environmental madness, it literally does not bear thinking about. ■


A new community approach to renewablesMerlin Hyman, Chief Executive, Regen SW

I spend a lot of time engaging with the media and communities on the role of renewable energy in the future.

Britain has excellent renewable energy resources in the sun, wind, waves and tides which makes it well placed to put renewable energy at the heart of the future of our energy supplies. We also have the expertise to play a leading role in developing the technology to harness the clean sustainable energy.

My experience is that people are generally convinced that renewable energy should and will play a major role in the future of our energy. Or to put in another way, most people would rather rely on British wind than Russian gas for their electricity supplies.

This personal experience is borne out in the polls. In July 2012, the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Public Attitudes Tracker found 79% of people supported renewable energy.

Increasingly people also see the economic opportunities from being at the forefront of the renewable energy industry. At a time of austerity and a stagnant economy the booming renewable energy sector is a rare bright spot. In the south west of England I find many people I talk to now have friends and family amongst the ten thousand people employed in the sector in the region.

However, when individual wind energy schemes come forward they often face significant opposition from some local people, and planning permission can turn into a long and bitter struggle which does little good for anyone.

In my view this contrast between general support and opposition to specific schemes is in large part due to the fact that local communities often do not feel connected to, or benefit sufficiently from, renewable energy developments.

I think we need a new model of developing wind and other renewable energy where communities play a much greater role. We know this is possible- in Germany an estimated 15% of all renewable electricity generation capacity is owned by communities, some 5GW of capacity and 600 energy cooperatives. I have no doubt that it feels different to have a view of wind turbines if you have a stake in and benefit from them. Debates about renewable energy developments are much rarer in Germany. ►


In fact we don’t need to look so far afield for examples, we already have many inspiring examples of what can be achieved here in the UK.

A number of developers are putting considerable effort into effective community engagement and providing local benefits. A few months back I spent a cold and rainy morning at the UK’s first wind farm at Delabole in Cornwall helping Good Energy launch their local tariff offering discounted energy for residents living near the turbines. REG wind energy’s replacement of old turbines with modern designs at St Breock, also in Cornwall, was done in close consultation with the local Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network. The scheme had few complaints and was described by the chair of the planning committee as a model approach.

Communities for Renewables CIC is a specialist social enterprise renewable energy developer that Regen has helped found. CfR CIC works with local communities to help them realise their aspirations for significant renewable energy developments. Projects are developed in partnership with a local community providing a much greater level of control and financial benefit to those communities.

Some community groups are partnering with commercial developers to bring forward schemes jointly. In Totnes in Devon, for example, Totnes Renewable Energy Society is partnering with Infinergy to develop the Totnes Community Wind Farm.

In some cases communities are themselves becoming developers. Bath and West Community Energy, for example, held a very successful local share issue and have deployed solar panels across schools and other public buildings around Bath. They have extensive plans to develop other technologies including wind and hydro.

So how can we develop this community energy movement to become a key part of the way renewable energy is developed in the future?

The key in my view is to support the development of community energy groups which are able to think about the future of energy in their communities, build consensus and engage effectively with developers and local authorities.

What is clear is more support is needed from government to enable community energy groups to develop. This should build on what has already been achieved.Regen SW, Communities for Renewables CIC and our partners successfully lobbied the Treasury to protect tax incentives for community energy investments. A more coherent strategy would include encouraging local authorities to provide support, providing sources of social finance that local energy groups can access, providing support for feasibility studies on potential projects and initiatives to enable networking and sharing of experiences.

I am currently sitting on a Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) stakeholder advisory group on community benefit and wind energy which has been seeking evidence on how developers can work more effectively with communities. Some of the ideas emerging from this work include new guidance to developers and a register of community benefit schemes so that they can be learnt from. The output from this exercise is likely to emerge in the spring.DECC is also promising a broader community energy strategy looking across energy efficiency and all renewable energy technologies.

Regen SW runs the Communities for Renewables Community Support Programme which helps communities to develop their strategies and progress renewable energy projects in their area. A key part of this is a Community Energy Group Network that meets to discuss the issues around community energy and share learning. Alongside that, we campaign on issues that affect community energy and work to raise awareness of the opportunities through the local and regional media. Our work in this area is supported by the EU Interreg IVb programme, the Academy of Champions for Energy (Ace).

Regen is shortly running our Renewable Energy Marketplace exhibition which takes place on 19 March at Westpoint, which will showcase the best of renewable energy. As part of this major event we will have a community zone and be running training sessions for communities who want to understand community energy and how to establish a local group.

Community energy is an idea whose time has come. With the right strategy from government, support from expert organisations like Regen and, most importantly, the passion and commitment of local people to the future of their local communities a new approach to renewable energy can emerge. ■

www.regensw.co.ukwww.renewableenergymarketplace.co.uk



The long held view of a minority – the energy efficiency lobby - that energy efficiency represents a massive energy resource that is cheaper, cleaner and faster to deploy than any other energy resource is now becoming widely accepted around the world. Every study done at global, national and local levels highlights the potential in all sectors of the economy as well as the multiple benefits of increased productivity, reduced environmental impact and economic impact that accelerating energy efficiency can have. The McKinsey study of 2008 estimated that investing $170bn a year at an average IRR of 17% (at $50 per barrel of oil) would halve the rate of growth in energy demand and achieve half the emissions abatement needed to maintain atmospheric CO2 at 450 ppm. The IEA’s 2012 World Energy Outlook reported similar results and said that $11.8tr invested by 2035 would boost the global economy by $18tr. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy reports that every one million dollars invested in energy efficiency supports twenty jobs as opposed to seventeen in the economy as a whole and only ten in the energy sector, illustrating the potential gain in jobs from switching investment from the supply side to the demand side. In the UK DECC’s Electricity Demand Reduction study identified 146TWh, 36% of demand, that could be removed by efficiency measures by 2030 across industry, services and the residential sector.

Donald Rumsfeld, the former US Secretary of Defense, made a famous speech in 2002 in which he talked about ‘known knowns’, ‘known

of the energy efficiency gap. If there is so much ‘low hanging fruit’, or as US Secretary of Energy described it, ‘fruit lying on the floor’, why is it not being picked?

We know that in order to scale up energy efficiency, to wake what Angela Merkel called ‘the sleeping giant of energy efficiency’, we clearly need to scale up three things – demand for energy efficiency, supply of energy efficiency products and services, and the flow of finance into energy efficiency investments of all kinds. Only by taking a systematic approach to this troika of factors will we achieve success.

As well as many years of research on the potential for improved efficiency there has been many years of research into the generic barriers that prevent the potential happening. Some of these such as the split-incentive between landlords and tenants in commercial office buildings have been widely reported.

These barriers have become accepted wisdom and although they are all true, they are generally at too high a level to be useful for policy makers and practitioners. We have to go further by truly segmenting the market and identifying the enabling conditions for expansion in each sector of the economy, and even each sub-sector. The energy efficiency

‘industry’ and governments (everywhere) have not been very good at market segmentation, really understanding each segment of the market and what works to promote efficiency within that segment. The specific barriers and enabling conditions in each segment and sub-segment of each sector of the economy are still ‘known unknowns’ in many cases. For instance, within the public sector the health sector, where there has been extensive work on energy performance contracting, faces different constraints to local authorities and the central government estate. Even within the UK health sector there are different barriers between a Trust and a Foundation hospital. Government needs to work in partnership with each segment to fully tease out the barriers and enabling conditions and agree joint action plans.

An important related point, and particularly true in the residential sector, is that we don’t really know what makes people decide to buy an energy efficient product or solution. A big issue facing schemes such as the Green Deal or similar schemes in other countries is always going to be customer demand or uptake. This is most marked in the residential sector where, most (all?) people most of the time do not wake up and decide to buy some energy efficiency. Even when energy efficient retrofits are made available at subsidised prices or are even free, take up rates can be very low. Energy efficiency suffers from being invisible, and a whole house retrofit involves upheaval and the dreaded act of bringing the builders in. At the end of it the consumer gets a lower energy bill but does not get the direct satisfaction or benefit that comes from a new kitchen, an extension or conservatory.

unknowns’, and ‘unknown unknowns’. This is a helpful way of looking at the issues facing policy makers and practitioners looking to massively scale up energy efficiency to meet policy objectives of energy security, lower energy costs and reduced environmental impact. Let’s look at least at some of the ‘known knowns’ and ‘known unknowns’ – the latter being where we need more research.

First of all, in addition to knowing the huge potential identified above, we know that much, if not all, of that potential is economic using today’s technology – the deployment of existing and economic technology would fill the so-called ‘energy efficiency gap’ and achieve

most of the benefits highlighted above. The flow of innovation in energy efficiency technologies, which has increased in recent years in response to increased venture investment in the area, only serves

to increase the potential. The big ‘known unknown’ remains why all this economic potential is not being exploited – the essence

The ‘known knowns’ and the ‘known unknowns’ of

energy efficiencyDr. Steven Fawkes, Chairman, Day One Energy

the fact that saving energy gives consumers more cash to spend, a proportion of which is spent on more energy consuming goods and services

Energy Efficiency


In business energy efficient solutions can (usually incorrectly) be viewed as complex, hard to measure the results and not worth the effort. We really do need more research on customer behaviour and motivation in relation to purchasing energy efficient solutions in each market segment.

Another large ‘known unknown’ is behaviour change. Within the energy efficiency industry there has been a track record of providing information in the belief that better information alone leads to behaviour change. The latest behavioural science research shows that this is not true and that information in itself does not lead to predictable behavioural change. In some areas with parallels to energy there have been successful behavioural change programmes, a notable example being the water saving programmes in Victoria, Australia which reduced water use per capita by 40% and averted a major water crisis.

Whenever discussions of energy efficiency occur someone points out the Jevons paradox, the ‘rebound effect’ – the fact that saving energy gives consumers more cash to spend, a proportion of which is spent on more energy consuming goods and services. In its most extreme form this is used to criticize efforts to deploy efficiency. The rebound effect has been well researched and although it will undoubtedly continue to surface we should put it into the ‘known knowns’ category. Given that improving energy efficiency is really about improving energy productivity, it is interesting that we don’t hear a similar argument against improving the productivity of other resources, eg metals. The real ‘known unknown’ in this area is the little researched impact of improving energy efficiency on the growth of the economy. There is some evidence to suggest that investing in efficiency is one of the big drivers of economic growth and this is surely an area for additional research.

Although as described above the energy efficiency gap can be filled by applying known technology we know there are certain areas of technology that need improvement where research and development expenditure is needed. Examples include low cost, very thin, high performance insulation materials and improved energy modeling tools for buildings. So what other ‘known unknowns’ are out there? There is the impact of low cost shale gas on energy efficiency. We have seen the advent low natural gas prices in the USA and it is likely that, whatever the protests, shale gas production will come to the UK and Europe. If we enter a period of low gas prices will investment in efficiency dry up? Even if the future is dominated by relatively cheap shale gas promoting greater energy efficiency remains a ‘no brainer’ to cut consumer costs, increase energy security and reduce emissions, as the McKinsey study showed there is still huge potential at an oil price of $50 per barrel. An ideal and responsible future energy policy may turn out to be based on natural gas and efficiency.

Thirty years of experience also suggests that the official government view of the energy future rarely turns out to match reality – after all forecasting, particularly about the energy future, is hard. Electricity demand growth

forecasts made in the 1970s and 1980s turned out to be significant over-estimates of what actually happened and we actually (at least in the UK and the USA) followed what at the time were radical ‘soft energy’ or ‘low energy’ scenarios.

The other big ‘known unknown’ is the effect of technology improvement in many areas other than ‘pure’ energy efficiency technologies. For instance, improved materials and materials processing in many areas, including casting of metals, near net shape forming, low cost smart materials that change their thermal and visual characteristics, will have a massive effect on energy efficiency throughout the economy but they will not be deployed purely for energy efficiency. Arthur C. Clarke, the science fiction writer and futurist once said, ‘we tend to over-estimate what we can achieve in the short-term and under-estimate what we can achieve in the long-term’. This will certainly apply in energy efficiency, and long-term advanced technologies in many areas will achieve levels of efficiency we will find hard to believe.

So what ‘unknown unknowns’ that will affect energy efficiency could be out there? By definition this is difficult to answer but here are some possibilities. On the geo-political front some major disruption of oil supplies is distinctly possible. Recent terrible events in Algeria show that energy facilities are attractive targets for terrorists and attacking one of the many energy choke points would drive oil prices much higher, helping to accelerate investment in efficiency. On the other hand perhaps we will make such progress on technologies such as advanced solar energy and storage that we take away our concerns about resource depletion, energy security and high costs. Even if some magical technology does appear, realistically it takes fifty years to change the energy system infrastructure.

It seems that we have reached a critical point in interest, policy and action on energy efficiency. Whatever happens we will have a more energy efficient future, but if policy makers and practitioners really focus on resolving the ‘known unknowns’ we will be able to exploit the huge potential that we know is out there and create a more productive, cleaner, more secure and lower cost energy future.


Green Deal and what it means for insulation

businessesTom Lock, Certification Manager at

the Energy Saving Trust, looks at what the Green Deal means to insulation

businesses and how they can make the most of the scheme’s opportunities.

opened up to a variety of energy efficiency measures or areas of home improvement – 45 overall. These include insulation (solid wall insulation has been added to the mix), heating and hot water, glazing, microgeneration (apart from hydro) and non-domestic sector lighting. This highlights further opportunities for installers who can look to offer a variety of home improvement or energy efficiency measures to customers.

Overall there are more than 26 million homes in the UK with these being a part of one of the leakiest housing stocks in Europe. There is a need to address this issue, which is why a mass roll-out of energy efficiency measures in homes across the UK is required. From our perspective any initiative that attempts to address the inefficiency of the UK housing stock must be seen as a positive step forward, not just for the homeowner, who will naturally benefit from lower energy bills, but for industry and installers too.

Despite the challenges with the UK’s inefficient housing stock, the potential is there for installers. Our Home Economics report, released last year, showed that the UK could stand to gain £6.6bn from the Green economy. This would support 140,000 jobs in the UK – adding to an already growing industry.

So, more importantly, what’s the best way for installers to get involved in the Green Deal? What are the initial steps? The first step for

Around four million UK households took up loft and cavity wall insulation through the Government’s Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) scheme which was launched in 2008. This gave a vital boost, not only to the energy efficiency of the UK housing stock, but also to the insulation industry.

CERT has now come to an end but demand is still there for insulation for UK householders. Indeed there are still plenty of opportunities for insulation to be installed in homes across the UK. Around half of the homes in the UK still have under-insulated lofts, while nearly a quarter have un-insulated cavity walls. Even our survey of over 2,000 adults in the UK revealed that demand for insulation is still there – 21% of respondents stated that they were “very interested” in installing insulation.

So what now? The Green Deal, set to launch on 28th January 2013, will supersede current Government policies such as CERT and the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). The Green Deal is an innovative financing mechanism that lets people pay for energy-efficiency improvements through savings on their energy bills. The costs are recouped – as savings accrue – through a charge in instalments on energy bills, with money passed on direct to Green Deal providers through the energy companies.

While CERT was largely focused on loft and cavity wall insulation, the Green Deal will be


installers is getting themselves certified. Installers cannot offer their energy efficiency measures or home improvements through the Green Deal without certification from a UKAS Accredited Green Deal Certification Body, therefore this is essential. Demand for green upgrades is likely to be boosted by the Green Deal, so getting certified will be vital to take advantage of this opportunity.

The intention of certification is to reassure householders that businesses offering services to them under the Green Deal are hitting the standards set by the Government. The Energy Saving Trust is one of the organisations that are accredited to offer this form of certification to installers and businesses, along with 13 others, and was appointed as the technical author for the development of the Installer Standard, PAS 2030. Installers can also use this certification outside of the Green Deal offering, for example through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

The main aims of the ECO is to achieve carbon savings from homes across the UK, while also looking to help vulnerable people achieve warmer homes. The ECO will be delivered through the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers and will support the Green Deal in delivering additional financial support packages to measures where the household is not in a position to take out Green Deal finance without additional funding. Through the ECO the government aims to help 230,000 low-income households or those in low-income areas.

The second step would be getting clued up on all things to do with energy efficiency. Findings from our EU pilot project known as REQUEST, which focused on research into low carbon refurbishment across the UK, revealed that installers and tradesmen can be a key driver for energy efficiency and the Green Deal. However, this will only happen through training and acquiring the relevant knowledge.

A lack of knowledge from installers and tradesmen is still a major barrier for energy efficiency measures, but once installers and tradesmen are engaged with energy efficiency then they are keen to take this knowledge forward in their future work. Therefore training could play a vital role in installers committing to the Green Deal, with increased understanding of energy efficiency potentially meaning more engaged customers and more business for installers in the long-term.

The third step is effective targeting from installers. The Green Deal is designed to make sure that the right measures are installed in the right properties in the right way. Installers can win the trust of consumers by offering them something that’s right for their circumstance. Indeed there is plenty of insight and data available to make sure potential customers are being targeted effectively. Plus evidence from our ‘Trigger Point’ research show that customers are more likely to undertake energy

efficiency work on their homes at key ‘trigger points’ in their life, such as moving house or starting a family.

Engaging customers in the right way at the right time means they will be more likely to trust the installer and what’s being offered to them. According to our survey, 80% of UK consumers receive irrelevant information more than once per week, either from post, phone, email or text message, highlighting the importance of targeting the right customers with the most relevant information for their situation. Failure to gain this customer insight early-on can lead to installers not being able to sell their services effectively, with customers not trusting the information being provided. Therefore installers will not be reaping the full benefits of the Green Deal.

The fourth step, which cannot be controlled by the installers alone, is householders adopting the right behaviours alongside installations. The ‘Golden Rule’ – the cost of the energy efficiency measure cannot exceed the expected energy savings – underpins the Green Deal and will only be met if the householder is energy efficient in the home. Installers cannot mitigate this, as it’s up to the householder and not them, but there are ways to provide ongoing help and support. This could include endorsed advice for customers making sure that the energy efficiency measure is being used correctly and that the right energy saving behaviours are being adopted.

Research from the Energy Saving Trust shows that providing people with the right energy efficiency advice can lead to them adopting energy saving behaviours for up to five years. This shows the potential impact that the right advice could have on householders, with this knowledge and guidance from the installer leading to a positive reputation growing as a result.

The four initial steps can help ensure that the reputation of installers is protected. It is vitally important for installers to get everything right before going to market. Stories about residents getting mis-sold products or services is an all-too-common sight in the media nowadays. Fulfilling these steps can help to ensure that installers have a positive reputation and can grow their business through the Green Deal as a result. In the Green Deal, reputation is key, so getting certified, gaining knowledge, targeting consumers effectively and providing the right advice are great ways of building a solid reputation for offering services and products under the scheme. ■

ThE InTEnTIOn Of CErTIfICATIOn Is TO rEAssurE hOusEhOldErs ThAT busInEssEs OffErIng sErVICEs TO ThEM undEr ThE grEEn dEAl ArE hITTIng ThE sTAndArds sET by ThE gOVErnMEnT.


National Insulation Association gears up to maximise the

opportunities under the Green Deal and ECO

Neil Marshall, Chief Executive The National Insulation Association

The National Insulation Association (NIA) is a leading trade body in the insulation industry representing the manufacturers, system designers and installers of cavity wall and loft insulation, draught proofing and solid wall insulation (SWI) including external, internal and hybrid (external and internal wall in the same property) wall insulation.

There are around 7 million uninsulated solid wall properties in the UK and under the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) SWI is a key area of focus and there needs to be a major increase in installations to support the achievement of the Government’s climate change targets.

With over 20 SWI manufacturer/system designer members and over 60 SWI installer members, the NIA is recognised as having a key role to play in bringing about this market transformation and is committed to doing this in a controlled and sustainable manner, ensuring the highest levels of quality and standards and consumer protection are maintained. To this end the NIA has established a dedicated SWI Steering Group, the NIA Solid Wall Group, within the association to take forward the industry’s strategy.

Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the NIA, commented: “The Group comprises specialist external and internal wall insulation manufacturers, system designers and contractors and is focusing specifically on the development and implementation of the NIA’s SWI market and supply chain development plans.”

Marshall added: “The NIA is uniquely placed to shape the SWI market as it covers both external and internal wall insulation and the NIA Solid Wall Group has the specialist knowledge, experience and technical expertise to engage effectively with Government, external bodies and consumers in developing the market.”

The group is focusing on a number of key areas including:

• Educating consumers and raising awareness of the benefits of SWI

• Providing support and guidance for specifiers of SWI including Green Deal Providers and Assessors, Energy Suppliers and Social Housing Providers

• Industry training • Quality standards/consumer protection

As part of the work on consumer protection, the NIA has also been working closely with the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) which will be providing consumer protection and an independent 25 year guarantee for internal, external and hybrid wall installations carried out under the SWIGA framework by accredited installers.

In addition to its work on SWI, the NIA is working with the Cavity Insulation

Guarantee Agency (CIGA) and British Board of Agrément (BBA) in addressing hard to treat cavity walls which are a priority area in ECO. It is estimated that there are around 3 million of these cavities including those that cannot be treated with standard techniques or Systems, those requiring remedial works prior to installation and timber, steel and concrete frame, narrow cavities and random stone walls.

Through CIGA and the BBA there are already robust established consumer Guarantee, technical guidance, System approval, installer accreditation Surveillance and Competent Persons schemes covering standard cavities. The NIA is therefore supporting work to ensure that occupiers of hard to treat properties can also benefit from the installation of cavity wall insulation.

This will involve additional System research, development and testing coupled with development of specific Best Practice Guidance to installation to augment that already published by the BBA and CIGA. As part of this work the NIA has also been in discussion with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) regarding additional training for assessors/installers and consumer targeting and marketing.

Neil Marshall commented: “During 2012 we have focussed heavily on supporting our members in gearing up for the Green Deal and ECO by providing them with the key information needed to help develop their business plans. In addition we have been preparing plans to support our members in exploiting the new opportunities in solid wall insulation and hard to treat cavities.

“2013 is all about working with our members in the implementation of these plans to ensure that we realise the opportunities.” ■

Eco House Before Eco House After

Contact Bev Coombe, Membership and Communications Manager: [email protected]



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A Plethora of Registrations? - Mike Summersgill

Advancing the understanding of former gasworks through the application of award winning forensic research - Dr Russell Thomas


A Plethora of Registrations?The start of the year is the time for those annual reminders (and direct debits) of payments due for professional membership. As President-Elect & Trustee of one international Institution (CIWEM), Trustee of another (CL:AIRE) and one of the ‘grandparents’ of the SiLC scheme (a decade or more ago), I should be fine with the system we have in place that helps to ensure recognition of technical competence. But as a Yorkshire-born SME business operator, I’m left wondering how much value one gets for the near £1000 it now costs me for the letters after my name. How much are Clients (and Companies) actually yet requiring such ‘comfort’ of formal recognition and qualifications?

I’ve totted my list up and there are fees to pay for two Institution memberships (ICE, CIWEM), one geotechnical Association (BGA), two Charterships (C.Eng, C.Env), one Register (SiLC) and one Listing (QP). I haven’t gone down three other registration routes yet (WAMITAB, RoGEP, Reservoirs), which would knock the cost up over a thousand a year, but might become required for certain Clients. And that’s all personal registrations, and not the cost of SEnSe Associates joining any trade associations, nor an annual PI cover cost (which is one thing seemingly bucking UK inflationary trends, at least).

The numbers of Chartered Engineers and Environmental professionals doesn’t seem to be on a rising path, quite the opposite looking at ICE membership numbers for example, and there is a worrying ‘bulge’ of chartered professionals aged 55 and over falling off the membership profile (in more ways than one!). That could be due to the decline in traditional careers in the Infrastructure, Building and Water industries, and in the decline of expectations for long-term employment with one firm; perhaps more worryingly, it’s probably affected by the increasing irrelevance of (or Employer involvement in) formal Professional Training schemes within the 21st Century market-place?

Specialisms are becoming the norm, rather than multi-functionality as in the past, and there is no greater example of this than in the ‘environmental’ field and in the rise of Brownfield Development skills. Although even now, politics is downgrading ‘brownfield’ as a monicker...

also ‘specified’ in the recently revised ‘Yellow Book’ Specification for UK Ground Investigation, along with three ‘less specific’ non-registered competency levels (viz. Technician / Graduate Ground Engineer / Experienced Ground Engineer); it may not be long before the RoGEP roles are specified in report/design sign-off by those major Clients, and registration becomes a necessity for major projects. But ‘election’ to the Register is by peer recognition, that is all, and there seems to be no mechanism for removal/de-registration, that role being assigned back to the relevant professional Institution through which the member is chartered (a similar position appears to apply to SiLCs).

There has been much polarised debate about the Registration system on LinkedIn and JISCMail fora, with many people questioning the supposed voluntary scheme and its numerous mentions in Client documentation. The propensity of ground engineering professionals to come from a variety of backgrounds is also a major thread in the discussions. Mention has been made of similar schemes of registration elsewhere in the world, like Hong Kong and Australia, and whether they are beneficial. One thing that doesn’t seem to spark too much debate is the cost of maintaining registration (£12), once the initial registration fee of £75 has been paid out. But more on the annual fee aspects later.

SiLC is not missing out on this avenue of extra funding for its Register (and to pay for its upkeep), as the organisation issued a press release pre-Xmas confirming that they would be reducing Training & Exam fees (to encourage more entrants?), but that they are also allowing firms (rather than individuals) to register to use the SiLC logo “...for an annual registration fee”. Watch out for ‘Eric Cartman’ of South Park fame appearing on some firms’ paperwork in the near future.

CL:AIRE has just upped the annual registration fee for its Qualified Person three-fold, from £50 to £150. It will be interesting to see how this affects the number on the QP register, as that has already surpassed the 200 mark in a few years, eclipsing the numbers listed on the SiLC and RoGEP registers. And this QP listing also requires that entrants are

When the Specialist in Land Condition suggestion arose out of Urban Task Force recommendations (last Century now – iI still have the ‘yellow book’ and the floppy disk ‘modern’ version of the LCR, if the Science Museum is looking for an exhibit – the main concern was that Clients wanted to be sure that the person looking after their land acquisition/development interests was in fact NOT a specialist! That is, in one particular field, but rather (as the title suggests) that they understood something more than the geology or groundwater chemistry affecting the land and its environs.

As clearly argued by a fellow SiLC in a BrownBrief article last April, some practitioners see the SiLC Register as “elitist, undemocratic and irrelevant to leadership of the profession”, and Frank thinks there is an image problem to be addressed. But he says, and I agree, that this would not be solved by dropping the requirement for Chartered status as a pre-requisite, but by enhancing and encouraging the need to be chartered amongst the younger environmental professionals. And, quite frankly, amongst some very senior staff at environmental companies, who themselves appear resolutely non-chartered, thus inviting a ‘why me?’ question to their staff during audits/appraisals!The geotechnical profession is going through similar divergences of opinion over its ‘new’ Register of Ground Engineering Professionals (RoGEP), with a polarised debate underway. The perceived problem here is that, unlike SiLC, there is no examination to take and acceptance on the register is by personal statement and peer sponsorship. You still need to be chartered (although there are only three ‘acceptable’ Institutions for this one, unlike several for SiLC) and prove your up-to-date CPD...and pay a Fee for Application, then an annual (small) registration fee to stay on the Register.

After a couple of years’ existence, RoGEP now has 75 members listed, just less than half of the listed number of registered SiLCs (after 11 years). But the interesting element here is the degree of ‘push’ from Clients, with clear ‘support’ for the register on the RoGEP web from Network Rail, Highways Agency, London Underground and the Welsh Government. The RoGEP levels of membership are

Mike Summersgill


Chartered, and pay to attend a training day before getting registered. But interestingly, Clients and Companies using a QP can often see a commercial benefit, not least as they can put a value on the cost of spoil not being sent to landfill.

The commercial trigger behind such a sustainable activity as spoil re-use on construction sites, as I have been at pains to point out for many years, is surely the direct Taxation effect of the landfill tax accelerator; before that, nothing happened and the easy route of dig’n’dump prevailed. Now you need to think about what to do before you dig, and then ‘save’ money by using the Code of Practice. Even that simple calculation has brought ‘complaints’ from some major contractors, concerning the cost of Consultants for compiling the MMP/QP; others have got their own staff Qualified separately.

Where forward then for SoBRA, the Society of Brownfield Risk Assessors? It is currently a ‘simple’ members’ organisation, initiated by a concerned group of risk professionals, and run by its members (not managed by another body, like CIRIA perform for SiLC, and ICE host for RoGEP). SoBRA’s website says: ‘A possible longer-term role of the Society may be to provide or promote a structured accreditation scheme for practitioners involved in the assessment of risks from land contamination.’ This could be a key matter for the Society, as it is surely the risk assessment part (often a weighty appendix) of many reports, that is the least checkable, and most open to interpretation. And therefore the particular section that needs to have been verified by a qualified risk assessor.

I know that I can’t confidently, as a SiLC and/or QP, personally sign-off the computation spreadsheet sections of many reports, as I can’t do a ‘hand calculation’ to verify the computational work (as I could still do for geotechnical design work, like slope analyses). But age/experience can still help one understand if the right input data and a rational output is in place. However, one often wonders if such experience and expertise is on hand at the regulatory end of Councils, reviewing Planning submissions. That would be where a certified Risk Assessor’s imprimatur would be most useful?This is perhaps leading down the line of having to have more than one ‘qualified’ person approving reports, with particular qualifications for significant aspects? Probably a good thing, except perhaps for Clients’ budgets. And possibly for smaller organisations, where there aren’t so many diversely qualified personnel? An example of what the future might bring is the recent requirement by some London Boroughs for Basement Impact Assessments (BIA) when a property is being extended ‘downwards’. This has come about after several high-profile excavation failures, and flooding of adjacent basements, and in what has become a lucrative and specialised market in the capital.

Camden has led the way on BIA’s, commissioning a report on the need for Guidance from Arup in 2009, and applying the findings to all new basement applications – some other Boroughs are following the same example. The guidance defines a series

lead to less costs for Clients. I’m personally pleased that it may raise the relevance of becoming Chartered in the design community to a higher level (and lead to more applicants for our Institutions, to halt the decline in membership).

My worry is that, like ISO auditing, this becomes a tick-box exercise and we end up with the scenario of “having 5 people standing round a trench with clipboards, watching two men doing the digging”. And that we could have too many organisations bringing out their own Registers, and duplicating effort…and upping their charges, when they find out how much it costs to administer a Register? But the biggest concern for me is a process to get someone de-registered, if found to be unsuitable, as this appears to be something that will be passed back to the ‘parent’ chartering Institution (and their disciplinary role is not always directed at technical competence, more at ‘disrepute’ actions).

Anyway, before I could do anything, the annual direct debits have swung into action and this year’s multiple registrations have been settled electronically before Xmas credit card bills became due… ■

of Questions on 3 ‘screening flowcharts’; these are for ‘Slope Stability’, ‘Surface Flow & Flooding’ and ‘Subterranean Flow’. An intriguing point is that the qualifications needed to complete the BIA should be relevant to each particular flowchart, according to Arup’s paragraph 6.7. For ‘surface flooding’ they require a C.Eng or C.WEM and MICE or MCIWEM; for groundwater flow, it’s a hydrogeologist with C.Geol and FGS; for ‘land stability’, it needs to be a Civil Engineer, C.Eng and MICE. Now in my case I can fulfil the first and third aspects (the C.WEM one is superfluous, if you are a C.Eng), but I can’t fulfil the second one.

Whilst welcoming the recognition of utilising Chartered specialists, it is strange that the land stability qualification makes no mention of any geotechnical capability or skill, for the Civil Engineer; there is a footnote, recognising the then emerging RoGEP list, so probably that would be applied in a subsequent revision. And many (geo)technical professionals might feel they could understand groundwater flow around a basement (predominantly in London Clay strata in Camden) without having to be a practising hydrogeologist. In my part-time ground engineering role at Ecologia Environmental, we have over a dozen professionals engaged in groundwater and hydrological risk, mainly in the fields of contamination and P20 assessment, but there’s no chartered geologist with a hydrogeology specialisation. Fortunately, we have an association with a reputable solo Consultant in Kent who is well qualified in this aspect (and also is on RoGEP), but who is not a C.Eng. Thus we are able to co-write and dual-approve BIAs between the two of us; but some smaller firms may not have that (economic) option, and the dual/triple qualification might seem to be favouring larger firms!

And what other part of the complex web of skills needed for Brownfield redevelopment will in the future be subjected to review and potential regulatory signing by a ‘responsible person’ - SUDS? Hopefully this will lead to better work, but I’m not convinced it will

There has been much polarised debate about the Registration system on LinkedIn and JISCMail fora

[email protected]@ecologia-environmental.com



Advancing the understanding of former gasworks through the application of award-winning forensic research

Dr Russell Thomas, Technical Director Environment, Parsons Brinckerhoff

IntroductionThe gas industry has left a considerable environmental legacy in Britain of over 4000 former gasworks sites, ranging in size from huge city gasworks to small country house gasworks. The environmental concerns on many of these sites have been addressed; however, many former gasworks require further investigation and remediation on some or all parts of the site. This article describes groundbreaking research developed between Parsons Brinckerhoff and the university of Strathclyde, which matches expertise in forensic chemistry with a detailed historical understanding of former gasworks sites. This research has enabled a discovery that can attribute different tars found on former gasworks to specific gas manufacturing processes. People do not often realise that gas was once manufactured in Britain rather than extracted from gas fields deep below ground. Whilst natural gas has only been available in Britain for about 40 years, gas manufacturing lasted for a period of about 190 years. The industry was led by Britain from its commercial discovery at the end of the 18th century to the closure of the last coal gasworks in Britain on the Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland, in 1981. These were times of great social, economic and scientific change and the gas industry continually faced new challenges, not least the competition from electricity.

It is also generally forgotten that the roots of the gas industry were in the provision of lighting, rather than heating as it is today. Lighting was a problem in the early 19th century and the available methods were limited

to candles and oil lamps. Lighting of the ever expanding industrial mills and factories of Britain was difficult and dangerous. Candles and oil lamps only produced a dull light and required continual attention for trimming wicks and replacement. They were also a significant safety hazard as they could be knocked over, leading to the demise of many mills and their workers. The potential for a cheaper and more effective type of lighting in the form of gas was developed by William Murdoch and his employers Boulton and Watt. The benefits of gas lighting in mills was soon realised and its use spread quickly to other factories and then to the public lighting of streets. The changes which occurred over the next 190 years developed a gas industry which could adapt, developing new ways of making, distributing and utilising the gas.

The early gas produced for lighting was lit in simple burners, the burning gas producing light. To make the gas suitable for lighting, various undesirable components in the gas had to be removed, which represented those fractions of the coal gas which were not fixed into gas permanently or made the gas unsuitable for use. The early gas left an unpleasant odour referred to as the “Soho Stink” after the smell present at the Boulton and Watt Soho factory where gas lighting was developed. This led to the development of “gas purification” with lime to remove the sulphurous components which caused the odour. In addition to gas purification, coal tar and ammoniacal liquor also had to be removed from the gas by condensation and washing otherwise it blocked or corroded the pipes. Each of the by-products could be sold for use by other industries, but has also left an environmental legacy of pollution at many former gasworks sites.

The by-product of most interest for this study is coal tar. Coal tar is a brown-black viscous liquid with a specific gravity of about 1.15, making it a Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL). It is mobile, releases vapours, and can provide an ongoing source of contamination in groundwater. The coal tar would contain all the condensable organic fractions of the thermally decomposed coal and is characterised as having a high concentration


of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), which are just a few of up to 10,000 individual compounds which may be present in coal tar. The PAH are important as they contain some known carcinogens and are a major risk driver with regard to human health. This extensive composition makes coal tar a difficult and complex substance to study, but one which is of great interest, offering potential for a chemical diversity to exist which is detectable by advanced forensic analysis methods.

Given the potential variability in coal tar it was hypothesised that if there were significant alterations in the way that gas was manufactured during its history, then these changes may be reflected in the tars produced. At the outset of this project it was uncertain as to whether it was feasible, especially with coal tars that have been present in the environment for up to 200 years, and whether differences would be significant enough to allow for clear “forensic” identification of multiple sources of tar on a single site. To achieve this, the project had to:

• Investigate the development of the different types of gas manufacturing processes used.

• Understand the engineering and chemistry of the gas manufacturing processes, so the characteristics of the different tars produced could be assessed.

• Develop an analytical method that could identify the complex nature of coal tar, identifying and quantifying a wide range of its constituent compounds.

• Analyse coal tar samples taken from different gas-making processes and different gasworks sites.

• Publish the work in a peer reviewed journal.

A brief description of the evolution of gas manufacturing in Britain is described follows.

Horizontal retortsReturning to the early gas industry, it should be noted that the gas needed to be rich in organic compounds which provided the gas with its illuminating quality; for this reason oil-rich cannel coals proved popular. Early attempts to manufacture gas were restricted by the materials available for manufacturing the retort, which took the brunt of the wear and tear. The horizontal retort became the standard. This was a D-shaped vessel, approximately 6.7m long, 0.55m wide and 0.45m high, in which the coal would be heated in an oxygen-free environment to remove the gas and vapours. The constant heating and cooling of the cast iron retorts led them to break and require regular replacement. There was also a limit on the temperatures to which they could be heated. These restraints and a preference for using cannel-type coal led to a specific type of low-temperature coal tar being produced.

The cast iron retorts were replaced by fireclay and then later by silica, both of which were more durable and able to withstand higher temperatures. Originally, horizontal retorts were designed so that they were closed at one end with an airtight iron door and ascension pipe (to carry away the gas) at the other, and they would be loaded and emptied by hand. This design was superseded by a retort which had doors on both ends, allowing coal to be pushed into the retort at one end and, once complete, the remaining coke to be pushed out through the back of the retort. This enabled the gas process to be mechanised on a large scale, making it more efficient and economic.

The use of gas for lighting predominated into the 20th century, but its application changed following the invention of the gas mantle by Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach. He discovered that the oxides of thorium and cerium had the ability to emit light when in a state of incandescence, heated by burning gas, the metals being soaked on a fabric structure placed above the flame. Once the mantle was in popular use, it allowed a leaner gas to be used with less illuminating compounds. Coupled to this, in 1855 Robert Bunsen, a German chemist, invented the atmospheric gas ►

Produced by Dr Russell Thomas, Parsons Brinckerhoff ([email protected])


burner known to many as the “Bunsen burner”. This provided a basis for gas to be used for heat-based applications and it became the predominant application for gas in the 20th century.

Early retorts were heated directly by radiant heat from simple furnaces beneath the retort, producing relatively low temperatures. Later development work by the Siemens brothers developed the gas producer. The gas producer burnt coal/coke under oxygen-limited conditions, producing a crude gas of carbon monoxide which was channelled to a combustion chamber directly around the retorts, where it was mixed with air and burned. The gas producer coupled with the use of the hot exit gases to heat the cool incoming gases (regenerator) helped increase the temperature of carbonisation and the quantity of gas which could be produced. These higher temperature processes would produce much more thermally degraded coal tars than those produced until the 1880s. These coal tars are more like those produced by high-temperature by-product coke ovens, which are considered to produce the most degraded coal tars.

Vertical retortsAs technology improved, a new type of retort was developed, the vertical retort. As the name suggests, the retort was rotated by 90° so that it was in the vertical plane. Originally developed in Germany, the system was soon adopted at gasworks across the UK. It had great advantages over the horizontal system as it reduced the labour involved: much of the movement of the coal could be achieved by gravity once the plant was loaded. Like the later horizontal retorts, vertical retorts were heated by a gas producer. As the coal passed down through the vertical retort vessel, it was gradually carbonised until it was removed at the base of the retort as coke. This design led to the coal being gradually carbonised at an increasing temperature as it descended down the retort. The gas and tar produced could escape up through the fuel bed away from the heat. This had the effect of producing a coal tar which had both properties of a low- and high-temperature coal tar, similar to a mixture of the tars produced by the two processes previously described.

Water GasAs retorts took a long time to start producing gas, they were incapable of rapidly dealing with periods of high gas demand. A solution was a process called water gas, a technology which had been around since the early 19th century, but not perfected into a commercial system until the late 19th century by Lowe. The operation was cyclical and split into two phases, the “Blow” and the “Run” phases. The purpose of the Blow was to store as much heat in the generator fuel (coke) bed as possible. Once sufficiently hot, the system was switched to the Run phase and steam was injected into the generator. This reacted with the incandescent carbon, producing a gas of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The process had to be constantly cycled between the two phases. The water gas produced was a relatively poor quality gas, but it could be enriched by injecting oil into the gas in the carburetter. The water gas process when using coke alone did not produce tar. If it was enriched by oil, however, then tar would be produced from the oil, and the characteristics of the tar produced would reflect the type of oil used.

The British gas industry was heavily reliant on coal through most of its history, as Britain had plentiful supplies of gas coals. Its coal stocks were not inexhaustible and the supply of good-quality gas-making coals diminished and became more expensive, causing the industry to consider other feedstocks.

Oil GasThe first attempts to make gas from oil took place in the early 19th century, but were unsuccessful due to the high cost and limited supply of oil at the time. As the petroleum industry developed in the 20th century and refineries were built in the UK, oil feedstocks such as crude petroleum oils and their derived distillate fractions were present in abundant amounts. These could provide a cheaper and viable alternative to coal. Early types of oil gas plant which had seen popularity on the west coast of the USA were never popular in Britain, but later variants such as the SEGAS and Micro-Simplex processes became popular in larger British gasworks. These processes produced tar which constituted the fraction of high molecular

Blackburn Chester Roodee

Falmouth Higginshaw, Oldham

Photographs: National Gas Archive


”“weight organic compounds which could not be fixed into a gas. The amount and type of tar produced was related to the oil used: the heavier the oil, the greater the amount of tar produced.

The above description demonstrates how the gas industry has evolved, bringing with it an environmental legacy in the form of below-ground pollution from tars.

An Application for Environmental Forensics?The land ownership issues which exist at former gasworks in Britain are complex. These sites are often now under multiple ownerships and the land use may have become much more sensitive (e.g. residential use). When these factors are combined with the range of gas-making processes used (some described above), the different coal tars formed, their handling, use and disposal, and the potential impacts of other nearby industries (producing similar pollution), it creates a very complex picture. The application of accurate environmental forensic methods could however provide a greater understanding than that currently afforded by standard analytical methods.

The methods previously available for analysing coal tar were limited to a small number of substituent compounds, such as PAH, rather than all the individual constituents, as this would have required extensive distillation and fractionation. These methods were unable to analyse the presence of nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen heterocyclic compounds which are important constituents of coal tar.

A major challenge has always been to find a fast, efficient and cost-effective method of analysing the main constituents of coal tars. Work was undertaken at the University of Strathclyde by Dr Laura McGregor and Dr Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, under the scientific supervision of Prof. Robert Kalin, to develop such an analytical method. The method developed allows for rapid preparation of samples using accelerated solvent extraction, removing the requirement for traditional complex sample fractionation.

A scientifically novel method was developed using reverse-phase two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC TOFMS) which was capable of analysing and quantifying up to 10,000 compounds from one sample analysis. In the first major research publication on reverse-phase GCxGC (McGregor et al 2011), the team used a polar primary column with a non-polar secondary column for enhanced resolution of aromatic compounds in coal tar. The two columns allowed the separation to be displayed in two dimensions, enabling greater resolution of the data. The method produced a very large amount of data because of the wide range of different compounds it was able to analyse. In order to interpret the data produced, principal component analysis (PCA) was identified as the most suitable method for data analysis. PCA was used to extract the variations within the large dataset by reducing raw sample data into smaller, uncorrelated variables known as principal components.

To validate the method, Parsons Brinckerhoff collected 23 samples of coal tar from 14 different former gasworks sites across the UK and one operational coke oven. A detailed review of the site history was undertaken for each site, so that knowledge of the production process was available for comparison with the analytical result. The coal tar samples obtained were primarily from tar tanks, although samples from NAPL plumes and historic spills in soils were also obtained. The samples were analysed by the method described above and the data split into two sets of principal components and plotted as above. There was a perfect grouping of the samples based on the production process used to manufacture the tar. The results of the PC plots of tar grouped the samples as those produced by Vertical Retorts, Low Temperature Horizontal Retorts, High Temperature Horizontal Retorts, Coke Ovens and Carburretted Water Gas/Creosote plants.

The results showed that the new method, combined with statistics and a thorough knowledge of the historical development of gasworks, makes it possible to identify the original production process that created a tar. This is valuable information for remediation or legal purposes, where there could be a requirement to identify the original point source of multiple plumes of coal tar on a former gasworks which may have been rebuilt many times, subsequently split up, and then sold off as smaller plots of land. This work is still on-going and a wider range of coal tars are now being studied.

AcknowledgementsThis work was funded and supported by National Grid Property, Parsons Brinckerhoff, EPSRC Grant EP/D013739/2 and Scottish Government GRPE Funding. The project forms part of an ongoing commitment to funding high-quality academic research by the organisations involved.

The AuthorDr Russell Thomas is a Technical Director at Parsons Brinckerhoff in Bristol. He is a recognised international expert in the development, operation and environmental issues associated with former gasworks and a member of the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers Panel for the History of the Gas Industry. Russell manages the research activities of Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Environment business and its collaboration with a number of UK Universities. ■

ReferenceLaura A. McGregor, Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, Niamh Nic Daéid, Russell Thomas and Robert M. Kalin, Multivariate Statistical Methods for the Environmental Forensic Classification of Coal Tars from Former Manufactured Gas Plants, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012, 46 (7), pp 3744–3752.

Figure 1. The PCA score plot of the full coal tar data set including blind study samples (two samples shaded green with thick edging). After McGregor et al 2012.

A major challenge has always been to find a fast, efficient and cost effective method of analysing the main constituents of coal tars.


©limpertsacadamy.com


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Air Quality

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Leading the way - Mike Putnam

Meeting market needs for ‘green’ products - Richard Hardy

Ecobuild 2013

88 - 90

92 - 93

94 - 96


Leading the wayMike Putnam,President and CEO Skanska UK and Co-Chair of the Green Construction Board

Going green can be a tough choice for some companies, but in a sector like construction, there really is only one way to go.

Today, it is believed that the built environment accounts for 40% of carbon emissions, 50% of water consumption, 33% of landfill and 25% of raw materials, so the construction industry has the scope to make a significant difference to our collective footprint.

Government and European Union regulations and societal pressures are also pushing the construction industry to find greener ways to build, operate and maintain the UK’s infrastructure – and to find ways to make the existing built environment more green.

Most companies share information on their websites about their approach to sustainability. Green credentials are essential for any company that wants to show that it cares about its people, brand, reputation, investors and the planet, but being a leader in green means doing more – it’s about having high aspirations, driving through change and never being satisfied.

A determination to be a leader in green begins with a strong vision. At Skanska, we believe that construction with near-zero impact on the environment is realistic; self-sufficient buildings that generate their own power, and are built and maintained with no net impact on the environment, are the future.

Existing environmental legislation and accreditations are useful benchmarks, but they are not the end. We don’t need to wait for a mandate to set stricter targets. The technology is

already on the market – it’s not holding us back. Bold, forward-thinking leadership, together with some targeted funding, also helps to stimulate real action.

The focus for Skanska and our clients lies in reducing energy use and minimising the carbon footprint of our projects. Consequently, Skanska’s projects are becoming more and more green, with some tough targets to keep us moving forward. By constantly analysing new products and technologies, we are able to incorporate ever-more sustainable options in our design specifications, procurement and construction processes.

Skanska categorises its projects using the Skanska Color Palette™, developed to measure and guide green performance. The range from vanilla to green to Deep Green reflects the stages between regulation compliance and near-zero environmental impact. Deep Green projects are future proofed because they’re self-sufficient, generating their own energy and built with a minimal environmental footprint.

We’ve used the Skanska Color Palette™ to help simplify our communications about green – for ourselves and for our clients. We limit the technical terms we use and focus on the benefits, so that everyone can understand and support the green message.

Mapping our projects on the Skanska Color Palette™ also shows us what we have achieved to date and what we have left to do.

We call it Our Journey to Deep Green™.

A green teamTo be a green company, you need to be a green team. That doesn’t just mean having environmental specialists on hand – everyone in the organisation can make a difference. We want everyone to be a leader in green, with the tools and knowledge to make a difference in their day-to-day decisions. Not everyone is expected to be an expert – but they do need the right support and to ask the right questions.

Green thinking transcends the business world. Many employees have their own environmental beliefs and commitments. Recycling, green travel and reducing energy consumption are all part of everyday life now, so bringing them into the corporate world is a natural next step. Likewise, experiences at work can influence what happens at home.

For the last seven years, Skanska has held annual environment weeks where employees celebrate all things green by trialling greener ways of working, sharing knowledge about green approaches to project work and making personal commitments. This is just one way of embedding green thinking into the culture of the business – and employees really get behind it, every year.

Ultimately, the process is one of culture change. We can’t all be green overnight because it’s


”

Skanska Color Palette™Building

VanillaCompliance

GreenBeyond Compliance

Deep Green Future Proof

Net Zero Primary Energy

Near Zero Carbon Construction

Zero Unsustainable Materials

Zero Hazardous Materials

Zero Waste

Net Zero Water

Energy

Carbon

Materials

Water

“an evolving journey. By tracking our progress and celebrating our successes, we can show we’ve moved forward and that we’re embedding green within the organisation. Eventually, green becomes business as usual.

Working together to make a difference

We’re often told that the reason people want to work at Skanska is our green credentials. It helps to attract the brightest young talent. That accolade is not won by working alone.

To make a real difference, businesses like ours need to work with clients, the supply chain, government and even competitors. Engaging others increases your sphere of influence, and develops a united voice in driving forward the industry.

Ten years ago, the Global Reporting Initiative set worldwide standards for sustainability reporting. It inspired us to do the same. For example, we have voluntarily calculated our carbon footprint, as members of the Carbon Disclosure Project for the last five years.

By contributing to industry bodies and government taskforces, such as the Green Construction Board, we help to fulfil the wider leadership remit of stimulating economic growth and, ultimately, creating jobs. Developing strategic partnerships between industry and government brings both consistency and confidence for investment and growth. It creates

mutual understanding and aligns industry and government strategies for the long term.

Our clients tell us that they want greener buildings and infrastructure, and to deliver on that we need a supply chain that supports these values. Again, standards and policies can only do so much. To really revolutionise an industry supply chain you need to support them in changing the way they do business.

In 2012, Skanska worked with its competitors – major contractors in the construction industry – and government (CITB – ConstructionSkills) – to establish the Supply Chain Sustainability School. This industry-wide resource is a virtual environmental learning centre for small and medium sized suppliers, helping them to assess where they are on the green journey and to be greener in their approach and align better with the green aspirations of their clients, firms like Skanska.

The business caseDespite what some might say, sustainability has not dropped off the agenda – businesses simply think about it in a different way. Today, being green isn’t just about ‘doing the right thing’, it’s a commercial decision. In the current economic climate, the clients that buy our services look to benefit from energy and cost savings by embracing green technology, but it is not a quick fix.

Taking a longer-term perspective can really influence building design and changes the business case for sustainable solutions. ►

To make a real difference,

businesses like ours need to work with clients, the

supply chain, government and

even competitors. Engaging others increases your

sphere of influence, and develops a united voice in

driving forward the industry.


some 80 per cent of buildings that exist today will still be standing in 50

years’ time. That’s why another important area is building in resilience to climate change by

green retrofitting existing buildings.

For example, by considering what a building will cost over its lifetime, rather than just for the construction phase, we can offer our clients efficiencies that continue to deliver for years to come. A Deep Green building can attract higher rental premiums and increase the value of a client’s portfolio.

Some 80% of buildings that exist today will still be standing in 50 years time. That’s why another important area is building in resilience to climate change by green retrofitting existing buildings.

Green retrofit is not yet mainstream, but we believe that improving building performance is vital if we are to meet government carbon reduction targets. It also makes commercial sense, not only for us, as a contractor, but also for landlords, tenants and owners. Improving building performance cuts down energy bills and studies of post occupancy evaluation show it increases productivity.

The payback isn’t instant, it is a long-term investment, and there are some who remain sceptical because of the different financial model. These are perception barriers we continue to work on to overcome.

We can lead by example. We believe in the benefits, so we invest in green ourselves. We advocate green retrofit to our clients, but we also apply it to our own offices. Skanska UK has refurbished its Hollywood House office in Woking. Last year the two floors that Skanska occupies achieved LEED Platinum status, scoring the highest-ever score recorded in the UK for an office fit-out.

We’re also retrofitting our UK headquarters in Rickmansworth. By introducing green technologies, it will see a 30% reduction in energy usage, 39% lower carbon emissions and savings on energy bills of 47% over 10 years.

We’re not just demanding more as a tenant, we’re investing our own money in clients’ projects. In some cases, we provide up-front capital to make green projects happen. It means that next time they know it will work, because they’ve seen it for themselves.

Join our Journey to Deep Green™Green has become something that sets our business apart from the rest, and we work hard to maintain this position.

We see the best results when we actively engage our employees, clients and supply chain, as well as the broader industry. Through organisations such as the Green Construction Board and Construction Industrial Strategy Advisory Council we are able to share our expertise with government, and help make green commonplace in construction, and not the exception to the rule.

I hope that inspires you to think more deeply about green and to take your own Journey to Deep Green™. ■


Meeting market needs for ‘green’ products

The choices we make when specifying products and services and designing and developing buildings, have major impacts on both the sustainability of our projects and their success. In order to make the best choices we need information that we can trust. Richard Hardy, Managing Director of BRE Global, looks at some of the product and building certification schemes that can deliver the quality of information needed.

Sustainability and trustThe increasing demands from regulators and the market for greater sustainability in building developments has, perhaps inevitably, led to a rash of ‘green’ claims for building products and services. The fact that many of these are not backed up with any credible scientific data or third-party certification can make selecting them for use in a development project something of a lottery.

Achieving a more sustainable built environment depends on specifiers being able to trust the claims made for building products, systems and services.

Trusted product and servicesOne way that specifiers can be assured that products and services can be trusted to perform

This independent assessment allows third-party certification to objectively distinguish products and services from others on the market, and gives customers confidence about their performance.

It is also important to distinguish certification from testing. Certification should ensure that products and services it certifies meet – and continue to meet – appropriate standards, through a robust combination of regular company audits and a schedule of on-going tests. While testing can deliver a valuable measure of a product’s performance at a given time, certification monitors that performance for as long as the product remains certified.

Whether a product is just tested or fully certified, it must be done against a robust and scientifically based standard. BRE, through the Trust, conducts research across the full range of the built environment. The output of this

as claimed, is to select those that have been appropriately certified. Expert, independent approval and certification schemes will ensure not only that sustainability claims are substantiated, but also that the products and services meet performance standards appropriate for their intended use.

It is important to remember, however, that there are different degrees of certification offering different levels of assurance.

With first-party certification, for example, it is the organisation providing the goods that offers the assurance that they meet certain claims. In second-party certification, an association to which the organisation belongs may provide this assurance. But in third-party certification an assessment is carried out by an independent body – such as BRE Global – which declares that the product or service will perform as required. ►


research is used both in publications to help industry, consumers and users, but also as the basis for sound, technically robust standards. If is often these standards that create the real difference.

Responsible sourcingCustomer concerns about construction product sourcing often extend beyond purely environmental issues – in fact the responsible sourcing of materials is sometimes in the headlines. A number of exposés have revealed poor working conditions in a number of overseas factories and in the extraction of raw materials, with little regard for the environment or the people that live nearby.

The wellbeing of the local workforce is just one of the wide-ranging ethical, environmental and social issues that must be considered throughout the supply-chain when determining if a product has been responsibly sourced. A number of schemes, such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Marine Stewardship Council, have been established to enable specifiers to identify responsibly sourced materials.

The BES 6001 Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products was launched by BRE Global in 2008 as a means of certifying almost any type of material used in the construction industry. With many clients now including responsible sourcing criteria on their tender documents, the standard has been used to certify a range of common products, such as concrete blocks, bricks, cement, cladding, plasterboard, ready-mixed concrete, paving slabs and reinforcing steel.

If such schemes are to remain effective they must be continually monitored, improved and updated. BES 6001, for example, is currently undergoing a revision process to ensure that the Standard reflects recent developments in responsible sourcing and procurement practices.

GreenBookLive.com and RedBookLive.com are free online databases for specifiers and end users looking for third-party certified building materials and products.

Better buildings and developments

There is, of course, more to developing sustainable buildings than specifying appropriately certified building products. A wide range of environmental, economic and social issues must be integrated in the design, construction and use of the buildings.To help deal with these complexities a number of schemes for assessing and certifying buildings have been developed in Europe, the USA, Australia and elsewhere. The longest

The greater efficiency and quality associated with sustainability are also helping to make such building more commercially successful. There is growing evidence, for example, that BREEAM-rated buildings provide increased rates of return for investors, and increased rental rates and sales premiums for developers and owners.

A study carried out by Maastricht University and published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in March 2012, entitled Supply, Demand and the Value of Green Buildings,

provides empirical evidence of the value of BREEAM certified buildings. The study used a sample of office buildings in London, using data from transactions over the 2000-2009 period, and found that these buildings achieved a premium on transaction prices and on rents.

Looking aheadBy its very nature sustainability is all encompassing – not limited to any particular sets of products, buildings or issues. Our assessment and certification systems must be widened accordingly if the momentum for greater sustainability in the built environment is to be maintained.

BREEAM has already been expanded from a scheme able to assess office buildings, to one that can be used on almost any type of building in any location. The range of issues addressed by the Scheme has also grown, but

many more environmental, social and economic aspects need to be considered. The challenge is to broaden the Scheme without increasing its complexity – expansion must go hand-in hand with efforts to make BREEAM more accessible and transparent. The support and feedback from the industry that we have enjoyed to date will be vital in this process.

The eventual goal is to make sustainability mainstream and routine – involving everybody. We will need to link tools such as BREEAM to BIM and a wide range of databases to allow sustainability information to be quickly and easily accessed. For example, BRE is currently working on a project with RIBA Enterprises to explore ways in which building data can be referenced, used and embedded into helpful tools.

BREEAM at Ecobuild 2013‘What’s new for BREEAM in 2013’ will be one of the daily ‘BRE Bite’ presentations at BRE’s Ecobuild stand. BREEAM is also featuring in Ecobuild’s own seminar programme and the annual BREEAM Awards will be presented in the Platinum Suite on 5 March. These recognise the highest scoring buildings under BREEAM each year. Come and see us on stand N2040. ■

established and most widely used of these is the UK’s BREEAM scheme, an internationally recognised quality mark of a building’s sustainability.

Using independent, licensed assessors, BREEAM examines scientifically-based criteria covering a range of issues in categories that evaluate energy and water use, health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes. Buildings are rated and certified on a scale of ‘Pass’, ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’, ‘Excellent’ and ‘Outstanding’.

Since its launch BREEAM has expanded from its original focus on individual new buildings at construction stage, to encompass the whole life cycle of buildings from planning to in-use and refurbishment – and to include whole communities. More than 200,000 buildings have now been certified under the Scheme, with around a million registered for certification.The Scheme’s regular revisions and updates, designed to widen its impact on sustainability, respond to feedback from industry and support the UK’s sustainability strategies and commitments. This ongoing evolution has allowed BREEAM to remain at the leading edge of scientific development and innovation. Sustainability and quality

Along with quantifiable improvements – for example in carbon emissions, resource consumption, waste reduction – less tangible improvements in quality are increasingly being noted in buildings designed with a strong focus on sustainability.

Achieving the standards required by a scheme such as BREEAM requires careful planning, design, specification and detailing, and a good working relationship between the client and project team. These are also the very qualities that can produce better buildings and better conditions for building users.

“One way that specifiers can be assured that products and services can be trusted to perform as claimed, is to select those that

have been appropriately certified”


Ecobuild 2013looks to the

future of sustainable designand

construction this March

Major investment from organiser uBM

Built Environment will see a wealth of new features and content

showcased at Ecobuild (5th – 7th March 2013, ExCeL London – www.

ecobuild.co.uk), the world’s largest event

for sustainable design, construction and the

built environment.

Visitors can check out the latest innovations

from across the renewables, sustainable

building products and materials, insulation, flooring bathrooms, doors, windows and

joinery, timber, roofing and landscaping

markets, all under one roof.

The three-day

event is the perfect opportunity for visitors

to rub shoulders with academics,

other government representatives and a

whole range of industry experts, to discuss the latest developments in

the world of sustainable building.

for the sustainability community and the wider construction industry and this year will not disappoint. With nearly 70% of visitors quoting events as the key way they stay up-to-date with the latest information and changes to the sustainability agenda, Ecobuild’s conference programme will once again bring together over 1100 industry experts, ministers and VIPs from across the sustainable built environment to inform, educate and inspire.” Visitors to the ‘Making Sustainable Construction Happen’ sessions can join an expert panel to debate and discuss ‘Green for growth - reality check’ which will look at what and where should we invest in the construction industry to get the maximum benefit. This exciting stream will also look at the issues of ‘An integrated infrastructure approach’, ‘Is the NPPF delivering on its promise of sustainable development?’ and ‘A future for microgeneration?’. ‘Beyond Construction: Achieving a Sustainable Future’ will kick off with The ‘Biophilic City’ headed up by Professor Tim Beatley from the University of Virginia, discussing the importance of bringing nature into the urban city environment and fostering deeper connections with the natural world. Other hot topics to be covered include: ‘Does the UK have any hope of achieving its 2050 carbon reduction target?’, ‘Is fracking the future?’, and ‘Climate change – why we are here?’. The ‘Design Architecture & Sustainability’ stream will cover hot topics such as ‘Sustainable design should be irresistible design’ hosted by RIBA president Angela Brady, ‘Reinventing the high street’ led by the Chief Executive of Igloo, ‘How can design help to create sustainable communities?’, ‘Is BIM

Expert educationSet to be an exciting year, 2013 will see a wealth of new content showcased at Ecobuild. Back by popular demand, The Ecobuild Arena returns to the show floor with a cutting-edge programme of high level discussion, debate, new thinking and challenging ideas. The crème de la crème of Ecobuild’s prestigious conference programme will come together in the Ecobuild Arena on the show floor to cover topical issues such as ‘The Green Deal and ECO – is it delivering?’, ‘Making our cities better’, ‘Green for growth – reality check’ and ‘Beating the performance gap – regulate or educate?’. Top names include Rt. Hon. Edward Davey MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Rt. Hon Michael Fallon MP, Minister for Business and Enterprise, Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, Mike Putnam, Chief Executive, Skanska UK, and Co-Chair Green Construction Board and celebrities in the form of Joanna Lumley in conversation with Jonathan Dimbleby. Ministers and government officials will be joined by experts from leading organisations such as the RIBA, the UKGBC, Environment Agency, Arup and the Construction Industry Council, as well as academics from the leading UK universities driving the climate change debate from the US and beyond. Ecobuild also has commitment from The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to provide ministerial speakers to be announced soon. Tom Broughton, Brand Director for Ecobuild said: “The launch of the Ecobuild conference programme is always an exciting announcement


14

million

homes

are

set to

benefit

from

the

Green

Deal

by

2020

ramifications from the government’s showcase policy and how you can benefit. Visitors should also check out the local authority and social housing pods to hear real-life on the ground experience of public/private partnerships from many leading public sector organisations and their plans for successful delivery of the Green Deal.

Energy Efficiency As energy costs continue to rise and impact the public sector, the pressure is on to provide sustainable and efficient energy solutions. There has never been such an important time to get up to speed on the latest legislation, training and technologies surrounding renewable energy and microgeneration. Ecobuild 2013 will feature leading companies showcasing the latest innovations in solar (commercial and domestic), bioenergy, combined heat & power (CHP), building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), heat pumps and small scale wind technology. Catering for both the commercial and domestic solar markets, Ecobuild represents a vast range of innovative solar solutions from on-roof, to semi-integrated to fully roof-integrated products, and features the latest technologies from leading modules manufacturers. At Ecobuild 2013, visitors can learn about the future of energy at Ecobuild’s reinvented Solar Hub. Sponsored by Rexel Energy Solutions, this exciting feature will provide a series of free-to-attend talks and presentations, plus one-to-one advice from a range of top industry experts. For architects tasked with design and specification of public sector buildings, the new Future Materials Gallery is a must-see. Think scientists in lab coats and beakers bubbling away, the new Future Materials Gallery will bring the world’s latest building technologies together in a futuristic showcase to educate and inspire the next generation of architects at Ecobuild 2013. Mind-blowing innovations will be on display, from self-healing concrete and use of ‘biomimicry’ - stone, cement and wood substitutes, to heat responsive ‘thermobimetals’ metals that act like human skin, and the pioneering application of “blue smoke” - the world’s lightest solid, to create see-through doors, windows and structures without fear of heat loss. ►

the saviour of sustainable design?’ and ‘Water sensitive urban design’, headed up by Aecom’s Sustainability Director.

Ecobuild will also bring together a wealth of top sustainability experts to debate and share their unique perspectives on the global sustainability agenda with the launch of its Sustainability Overseas conference programme. Forming part of Ecobuild 2013’s wider conference programme in association with UKGBC, the one-day conference stream will take place on Wednesday 6th March 2013 covering the challenges and opportunities of sustainability around the world, with experts from UK Green Building Council, RICS, AECOM, International Sustainability Alliance, BRE, Premier Inn and many more. For the full programme line-up and speaker information, please visit http://bit.ly/sustainabilityoverseas. Industry experts will discuss hot topics such as ‘Understanding the sustainability drivers in overseas markets’, ‘What sustainability strategies are needed for different climatic zones?’, ‘What and where are the market opportunities for sustainability expertise in BRIC nations?’ and ‘Successfully delivering sustainable buildings in emerging markets’. Ecobuild will also offer a fully CPD accredited educational programme which will include a 12 stream, 3 day seminar programme featuring an additional 700 speakers. With a focus on practical case study learning, technical detail, policy guidance updates from key associations and the latest academic thinking, the broad ranging programme covers a range of subjects, including brand new for 2013: Water, Waste and Recycling, Refurbishing Britain and Property and Green Energy. The perennial favourites will also return including Self Build and Renovation, Designing and building with Passivhaus principles, Better Through BIM and Standards, Guides and Regulations.

The Green Deal As 14 million homes are set to benefit from the Green Deal by 2020 and DECC outlines the role of local authorities and other local partners as key in ensuring effective and intensive delivery of this important initiative, The Green Deal Terrace at Ecobuild is a must-see for government decision-makers. A programme of seminars and a comprehensive advice clinic will help you understand the


LightingAs a major consumer of electricity in commercial buildings, lighting should be a top energy saving priority for FMs. Brand new for 2013, visitors can take a journey through the history of light with Ecobuild’s ‘Evolution of Light’ feature in association with Photonstar. Taking centre stage within the feature area, a comprehensive seminar programme will cover the most pertinent business issues affecting the lighting industry. Free to attend, the education sessions will be led by top lighting designers and manufacturers. The Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) will also be running ‘Lightscene’ for the first time at Ecobuild, the ILP exhibition for all Lighting Professionals which will encompass a seminar programme.

Water, Waste and MaterialsFollowing extensive industry feedback, Ecobuild will introduce a brand new ‘Water, Waste and Materials’ stream as part of its highly anticipated 2013 seminar programme. Chief industry leaders from WRAP, Arup, British Land, Drivers Jonas Deloitte, Quintain Estates & Development, Construction Products Association (CPA), Landscape Institute and University of Sheffield will join forces to create a lively programme as part of Ecobuild 2013’s fully CPD accredited 12 stream, three day seminar programme featuring 700 speakers. Sponsored by Altro, ‘Water, Waste and Materials’ will explore a range of approaches relating to resource stewardship in terms of water, waste and materials cycles. The programme will look at how these cycles can contribute to achieving this goal as many of these are in the hands of built environment professionals and investors in both the private and public sector. Experts will cover hot topics such as ‘Operational waste - how to reduce it, how to handle it and how to reuse it’ chaired by Mr Tony Yates, SLR Consulting, ‘Getting

www.ecobuild.co.uk/register


Delivered in association with Schumacher College, RESET Development, the Brighton Permaculture Trust, the Low Carbon Trust, the Low Impact Living Initiative and the Centre for Alternative Technology, Natural, Sustainable will focus on practical, sustainable solutions to design, specification and development, working with natural sustainable materials. Check out hands-on demonstrations of construction with straw bale, rammed earth and chalk, timber, clay, lime and cob and talk to suppliers and training organisations supporting this emerging area of the low carbon construction industry.

TimberVisitors to Ecobuild 2013 will get to hear the latest thinking surrounding the versatility and sustainability credentials of timber, its use in both sustainable design and construction and as a source of renewable energy. Check out new timber structures, wood windows and doors, glulam and cross laminated timber from the likes of Accoya, Arnold Laver, Ecological Building Systems, Kebony and Russell Timber Systems. The Timber Research and Development Association’s (TRADA) Giraffe Pavilion will feature a busy seminar programme throughout the show as well as act as the meeting point for TRADA’s popular timber guided tours around Ecobuild which highlight to visitors the latest innovations in timber and timber-related products. ■

the sustainability brief right for responsible resource use and management’ hosted by Dr Bill Addis, Buro Happold, ‘Designing for resource efficiency’ with WRAP’s Head of Construction & Refurbishment, Richard Buckingham and ‘Zero water developments - achieving the ideal’ headed up by Celeste Morgan, Sustainability Director, AECOM NW.

Working with Nature According to DEFRA, £458.9M of UK public sector funding was spent on UK biodiversity during 2010/11. In support of this work, the ever popular Biodiversity Pavilion returns to Ecobuild as part of a new ‘Working with Nature’ zone. Helping to embed consideration of biodiversity into decision-making across the public sector, a raft of experts will be sharing practical advice on how to create a rich biodiverse environment even in the grittiest urban environment. Industry leaders such as CIRIA, RESET Developments, Livingroofs.org, British Beekeeper’s Association, Trees for Cities, Bat Conservation Trust, Wildflower Turf Ltd and Habitat Aid, will cover hot topics such as ‘Biodiverse habitats on and in commercial buildings’, ‘Supporting biodiversity through Green Infrastructure and on-site water management’, ‘Establishing a wildflower meadow - biodiversity wins gold at the Olympics!’ and case studies from the housing sector on ways communities are working with nature to improve local green space. Reinforcing the importance of the natural environment in sustainable design and construction, this area will also bring together the latest product and service innovations from the green infrastructure industry.Championing the need for fundamental changes in the way we live, work and interact with the environment, the new ‘Working with Nature’ will also bring together the Green Infrastructure Pavilion in association with DEFRA which will sit right at the heart of the exhibition, next to the Ecobuild Arena where ministers from DEFRA, DECC and BIS and high-level industry speakers will take to the stage for big debates, policy announcements and future thinking.


Timber & Forestry

News

Transport

Water

Miscellany

100 - 102

104 - 105

106 - 108

110 - 111


Air Quality

Conservation

Energy



Waste & Recycling

EU “Timber Regulation” enters into application - Janez Potočnik

The EUTR: by securing and de-risking supply, strong regulation can boost demand - John White

This unified, global effort is required to save tropical forests and their vital resources - Christian Jebsen



While you read this article, billions of trees are silently taking in CO2 from the atmosphere through the miracle of photosynthesis, creating a renewable resource – wood – with a myriad of uses. Well managed forests can provide timber and other products as well as clean water for many generations while conserving biodiversity. Indeed forest management is one of the first areas in which the concept of sustainability was applied: this year Germany celebrates the 300th anniversary of the publication of Hans Carl Von Carlowitz’s “Sylvicultura Oeconomica”, the book that first set out the concept of sustained yield, where timber harvesting is managed so as not to exceed the rate of forest growth.

Wood is good. We certainly believe that in my home country, Slovenia, in which over half of our territory is covered in forests. But many of the environmental attributes of wood are linked to the way in which it is produced. If it is from a well-managed forest, then it is likely that the trees we are consuming in the form of paper, wood or other products will be replaced and that the environmental services provided by the forest will continue. If, on the other hand, it comes from a forest that is badly managed or from deforestation, then such consumption can have negative impacts.

One of the most blatant forms of poor forest management is illegal logging. Such logging is generally carried out without regard to environmental or sustained yield considerations. And it often has sinister undertones, undermining the rule of law and going hand in hand with corruption. It deprives governments of revenue, which is of particular significance in developing countries that need such income to pay for basic services. In the worst cases it can be linked to armed conflict.

The problem of illegal logging has been present for many years, but it was in the spotlight for much of the past decade, especially in the wake of high-level regional conferences held in Indonesia (2001), Cameroon (2003) and Russia (2005). This led to calls for the EU - as a major consumer of timber (as well as a major producer) - to take action. One result was the adoption in 2003 of an EU Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT). The Action Plan presented a number of proposals for action on both the demand and supply side, including a proposal for bilateral agreements with timber-producing countries under which only legally-harvested timber or products derived from such timber would be allowed into the EU. This was followed in 2005 by the FLEGT Regulation, which provides a framework for controlling imports of timber from countries entering into such bilateral agreements. Negotiations on these agreements,

which are called FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), have now concluded with Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Indonesia and Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) and are ongoing with Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras, Malaysia and Vietnam. FLEGT licensed timber is not yet entering the EU market however, as the systems to trace and control such timber are still under development.

The EU approach to FLEGT VPAs, involving a participatory approach to the negotiations, has been widely supported, and has been coupled with development assistance to build capacity amongst government, civil society and the private sector. But the bilateral nature of these agreements means that they only apply to the countries concerned, and it became apparent that a broader approach was needed, as the EU could still serve as a market for illegally harvested timber from countries without FLEGT VPA agreements, or for timber from such countries processed in third countries. The Commission was therefore asked to come forward with a proposal for more comprehensive legislation to prevent the EU from serving as a market for illegally harvested timber. After widespread consultations, the Commission proposed new legislation in 2008. The proposal went through two readings in the EU Council and European Parliament and was adopted by the co-legislators in October 2010. The result is “Regulation 995/2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market”, more widely known as the EU Timber Regulation or EUTR.

The Regulation has support from a number of industry federations and NGOs. The former saw the Regulation as a way to ensure a level playing field and thus prevent unfair competition from unscrupulous operators. The Regulation will enter into application on 3rd March 2013. In practice this means that as of this date, EU operators placing timber or timber products on the EU market, whether derived from EU or imported timber, can be checked by the competent authorities appointed by each EU Member State to enforce the Regulation.

The main obligations under the Regulation target operators that place timber or timber products on a commercial basis on the EU market for the first time. If such products are subsequently transformed into different products (the way pulp is made into paper, for instance), the company placing the derived products on the market is not considered an operator.

EU “Timber Regulation”enters into application

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment

►


The world is changing, for the better. In adopting this

legislation the Eu has joined the uS in taking regulatory

measures against illegal logging and related trade

Operators are obliged to exercise “due diligence” to minimise the risk of illegal timber in the supply chain of the timber or timber products they are placing on the market. This means having access to certain information set out in the Regulation concerning the supply of timber or timber products, and assessing the risk of illegal timber in the supply chain on the basis of this information and on risk criteria. If the operator considers that the risk is negligible, the operator places the products on the EU market. If not, an operator must take mitigating measures such as requesting further information or third party verification.

The Regulation also prohibits the placing on the market of illegally harvested timber or products derived from such timber. Enforcement of this prohibition is the responsibility of the relevant authorities in the EU Member States, who would need to be able to establish that a particular shipment contains illegally harvested timber.

The third main feature of the Regulation is that it requires traders to keep records for five years of sellers they have bought timber from, and clients they have sold timber and timber products to. Traders are defined as entities that trade in timber and timber products on a commercial basis after the first placing on the market of such products, i.e. further down the supply chain. As the vast majority of companies already keep such records, this requirement is not expected to add any undue burden. The idea is that such records would allow, if necessary, the tracing of a supply of products back to the first placing on the market.

The types of timber product covered by the Regulation are listed in an Annex to the Regulation. One of the next steps will be for the Commission to recognise “monitoring organisations” that meet the requirements set out in the Regulation. These organisations will provide a service to operators, supplying them with tools and information that allow them to carry out their due diligence obligation effectively. However, despite their name, they are not responsible for monitoring compliance with the Regulation: this remains the responsibility of the competent authorities in the Member States.

Finally, the Regulation also recognises timber and timber products covered by a valid FLEGT license or CITES permit as being in compliance with the Regulation. FLEGT licenses will be issued under the bilateral agreements between the EU and timber-exporting countries referred to above.

One question I am often asked is whether timber or timber products that

are certified under one of the two main forest certification schemes – FSC and PEFC – will be considered to be in compliance with the Regulation. Although the Regulation does not provide for automatic recognition for a number of reasons, it does, however, state that third party verified schemes can be used as additional evidence of legal compliance and as a risk mitigating measure.

In developing its proposal for this Regulation, the Commission took carefully into account existing practices in the forest sector that were already being implemented on a voluntary basis. While some have criticised the due diligence approach as vague, I am convinced that the flexibility inherent in the approach at the heart of this Regulation is necessary, given the diversity of timber products, sectors and legal frameworks for forestry.

The law is coming, but the battle is not yet won. Considerable explanation and education will still be needed. While the forest sector has been used to dealing with forest certification for 20 years, this is a product-based approach, and operators will need to adapt their practices. Due diligence is a process-based approach, similar in some respects to ISO quality or environmental management systems, and the challenge now is to ensure that it becomes a natural part of doing business in the forest sector. To help raise awareness about the entry into application of this Regulation within and outside the EU, we will soon be launching a targeted information initiative, with information materials in all EU languages.

The world is changing, for the better. In adopting this legislation the EU has joined the US in taking regulatory measures against illegal logging and related trade. Australia too recently adopted legislation with a similar objective, and I hope more global partners will soon follow suit.

By combining legal measures such as the EU Timber Regulation with development cooperation and dialogue to enhance forest governance, the EU aims to play its part in reducing illegal logging to minimal levels. By promoting an environment in which the efforts of responsible forest managers and companies are no longer undermined by unscrupulous players, we aim to contribute to the development of a solid base from which the ultimate goal of sustainable forest management can be reached. ■


The EUTR: by securing

and de-risking supply, strong regulation can boost demand

The long-awaited EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), due to come into force on March 3rd 2013, is a much welcomed development which, by de-risking supply, can help boost demand and grow the market for timber and timber products.

The Regulation is designed to prevent illegally logged timber entering the European market. This is a crucial issue. Illegal logging – particularly in tropical countries – is one of the most devastating environmental issues, responsible for roughly 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, destroying habitats and causing multiple social and economic problems for the communities who live in or depend on forests for their livelihoods, particularly in poorer tropical areas.

John White, CEO Timber Trade

Federation


Although only a tiny fraction of timber traded in the UK is from illegal sources – over 90% of our supply comes from European managed forests – allowing this material onto the market can fuel the destruction and devastation elsewhere.

It also leaves a question mark hanging over the industry and can lead some specifiers to simply choose other materials rather than face the reputational risk of being caught inadvertently buying illegal timber.

The new regulation aims to put a stop to that. The EUTR makes it a criminal offence to place illegal timber or timber products onto the EU market and places obligations on companies which first place such products on the market as well as those trading further down the supply chain.

It forces companies which first place timber products onto the EU market – either through importing or through their own production facilities – to implement a due diligence system which incorporates information gathering, risk assessment and risk mitigation activities in order to minimise the possibility of their supply chains containing illegally harvested timber.

It also obliges trading companies which subsequently buy or sell that timber to keep records detailing from whom they bought the products and to whom they sell on. These rules apply to all timber regardless of whether the timber and timber products originate in the domestic EU market or elsewhere in the world.

Although the EUTR acts only on those active in the EU market, it will have a far-reaching global effect. By forcing first-placers to conduct due diligence, risk assessment and to present evidence of such, they in turn will ask for this from their own supply chain. These suppliers are unlikely to want to miss out on trading with lucrative European markets and will have to provide suitable evidence if they are to continue. In this way the pressure will pass down the supply chain and either improve systems of production and reporting or simply provide greater transparency.

The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) has been entirely supportive of the new regulation and developed its own due diligence system nearly a decade ago to tackle exactly these problems. Indeed, the TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP) was in fact the model for the EU Timber Regulation. We have made the RPP a compulsory condition and benefit to our members – by joining the Timber Trade Federation companies are automatically provided with a step-wise due diligence tool kit which the TTF will monitor. The TTF provides it for free and in return expects all members to provide their due diligence returns to be assessed each year. Companies which do not complete a satisfactory RPP or similar form of due diligence are expelled from membership.

The RPP follows the same criteria as those required for the EUTR. For first placers this means providing the following:

Due Diligence information • Description of the type of product and species of the

wood used (trade and common name and, where applicable, the full scientific name);

• Country of harvest, and where applicable:

• Quantity (expressed in volume, weight or number of units);

• Name and address of the supplier to the operator.

• Name and address of the trader to whom the timber or timber products have been supplied;

• Documents or any information indicating compliance of those timber and timber products with the applicable legislation;

• sub-national region where the timber was harvested;

• concession of harvest.

In addition they must complete a risk assessment procedure to show they have fully analysed and evaluated the risks in their supply chain. Risk assessments should take account of the following criteria:

• assurance of compliance with applicable legislation, which may include certification (eg FSC, PEFC, etc) or other third-party verified schemes which cover compliance with applicable legislation;

• prevalence of illegal harvesting of specific tree species;

• prevalence of illegal harvesting or practices in the country of harvest and/or sub-national region where the timber was harvested, including consideration of the prevalence of armed conflict;

• sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council or the Council of the European Union on timber imports or exports;

• complexity of the supply chain of timber and timber products.

Following this, companies must show that they have conducted mitigation of risks identified. This mitigation should involve a set of measures and procedures that are “adequate and proportionate” to effectively minimize the identified risks. This could include requiring additional documentation, other information or requiring third-party verification. Only a FLEGT or CITES certificate removes the need to do due diligence – FSC and PEFC materials will lower the risk, but not automatically qualify as EUTR exempt.

Companies can use their own systems or make use of those from a monitoring organisation, or de-facto monitoring organisation such as the Timber Trade Federation. It is worth remembering that products can never be labeled as “EUTR Compliant” – only companies can be EUTR compliant by conducting due diligence and risk assessment / mitigation activities.

This is a very sensible and business friendly approach to regulation. Due diligence and risk mitigation are not new concepts for business. Companies taking on a new customer will already be doing some form of due diligence by finding out as much as one can about the new customer and double checking those facts, by for example a credit check. This is risk assessment. If you have doubts about this customer but still wish to do business you may get some further reassurance or arrange particular terms of supply. This is risk mitigation.

Perhaps a better example is health and safety. Legislation exists which in principle is just like the EUTR. Under Health and Safely legislation a business must assess the likelihood an accident will occur and the severity of the accident should it do so. It should then take action to reduce the risk that the accident will occur and the harm it could cause. The level of action will depend upon the likely occurrence and the severity of the harm. This has to be written down.

By and large the EUTR has been welcomed by the timber industry, and the Federation has put a lot of work into engaging with the supply chain as well as with construction and manufacturing industries in order to ensure that there is clear understanding across the board.

The timber industry understands that, with increasing climate legislation acting on the construction sector, the market for timber construction is forecast to grow quickly and can bring significant environmental benefits. However, this will not happen if any doubts - however minor and unfounded - remain over the provenance and legality of the products on offer.

The EUTR helps us prove the quality of supply, so we can concentrate on building demand. ■


This unified, global effort is required to save tropical forests and their vital resources

deforestation causes damage to the environment, harming natural habitats, indigenous communities, the climate and the planet’s ability to combat climate change. The arguments for combating illegal logging, which increases the pace of deforestation, have been made by environmentalists and conservationists for decades and only now, with the advent of the Eu Timber legislation (EuTl), are lawmakers beginning to catch up with reality. The EuTl that will come in on 3rd March will ban illegal wood from entering the Eu and it will also ban its use across the whole supply chain. both legislation and technological innovation, such as Kebony’s sustainable softwood treatment process, that diverts demand from tropical forests should be integral to this effort. ►

Christian Jebsen Managing Director at Kebony


by police forces and manufacturers to ensure that wood comes from legitimate, legal and sustainable sources. Indeed, there are viable and sustainable alternatives to hardwood, such as Kebony, which can effectively divert demand from tropical forests as it holds all of the same sought-after properties.

Whilst there are various schemes in place, which should be applauded for their efforts, the comprehensive EUTL is a big step forward in reducing this crime because it is so wide-ranging. UNEP and Interpol reported at the end of last year that organised crime is responsible for between 50 and 90% of logging in a range of countries in Central Africa, South East Asia and the Amazon Basin. The legislation will involve two aspects. The EU timber regulation, which will come into effect in March 2013, stops illegal wood from entering the market and governs the timber trade in EU member states across the supply chain, compelling both ‘first-placers’ and ‘subsequent sellers’ of timber to ensure that their product is traceable. The Due Diligence System (DDS) has been devised for all timber traders to demonstrate their compliance. In terms of non-EU states, the EU Commission is entering into bilateral agreements - these Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) include commitments and action from both parties to halt trade in illegal timber, notably with a license scheme to verify the legality of timber exported to the EU.

One of the reasons that tropical forests have been cut down so rapidly is the demand for its use in design and construction, but now its use is becoming unacceptable for regulatory as well as environmental reasons. There is a market and an appetite for sustainable alternatives and the industry is responding to both consumer demand as well as regulatory pressures. However, in order to reverse the rate of deforestation there needs to be a more concerted effort. Wood traders should make sustainable alternatives to hardwood known to consumers, and consumers should be demanding higher transparency from their wood and wood product traders. Traders and consumers need to take an active role in increasing the use of sustainable alternatives to tropical hardwood and reducing demand for illegal supplies of this finite natural resource in order to reduce the success of the legislation.

Christian Jebsen is Managing Director at Kebony.Kebony is a Norwegian wood producer that provides a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwoods. Using the Kebonization process, sustainably sourced woods are treated so that they permanently adopt the properties of hardwoods. ■

Traditional tropical hardwood resources are obtained from forests, which cover 30% of the planet’s landmass, providing a vital function for our atmosphere as well as vital resources. Their unsustainable demolition is of great concern as their presence plays an important role in stabilising the earth’s atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have now reached 395 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in what is thought to be 800,000 years and climate scientists believe that once levels pass 400ppm it will become increasingly difficult to obtain the European goal of limiting global warming to just 2°C. The forests act as a vital carbon sink for the Earth’s atmosphere and their destruction is responsible for 20% of global CO2 emissions every year. Furthermore, they provide vital resources, for example the Amazon alone provides 20% of the world’s fresh water and oxygen. Despite the increased awareness of this issue and efforts to control activities, deforestation continues apace. Indeed, the Amazon Information Network reported that an area the size of the UK had been felled in the 10 year period between 2000 and 2010.

Illegal logging is particularly problematic as it drives down the cost of timber and increases the rate of deforestation, creating significant negative economic, environmental and social impact. The exact figures for illegal logging are unknown, however a number of studies have been conducted that give us an indication of the scale. It is estimated that 15-30% of global forest production (INTERPOL/World Bank 2009) and 90% of the world’s illegal timber production comes from four key areas: Africa, Asia¸ Latin America and Russia/CIS. The illegal logs cut each year, if laid end-to-end, would stretch ten times around the Earth (Chatham House July 2010). It is estimated that 96% of deforestation occurs in tropical regions resulting in short term increases in economic revenues for nearby communities.

Deforestation of tropical regions is driven by demand for hardwoods from the West. Tropical hardwoods are used in building, construction and design material as they have superior qualities that make them suitable for this purpose, namely that they are hard wearing, durable and strong. According to the UK’s Green Party, the EU imports between 20% and 40% of all global illegal wood supplies, the majority of which ends up in the UK, Germany and Finland. As the EU is an enormous market for this illegal wood it has a huge responsibility to act. The EUTL will finally bring the European Economic market in line with other key economic markets for wood products; Australia, Japan and the US all have laws banning the import of illegal wood. In order to curtail the trade of illegal timber, there needs to be a concerted international effort


EUTR requires that the EU importer is able to identify for every product group the “country of harvest and, where applicable, the sub-national region and the concession of harvest”. Information on origin beyond country of harvest is required only in those circumstances where the EU importer judges that the risk of illegal harvesting varies between sub-national regions or between concessions within those regions.

Under EUTR, the importer’s due diligence system must “provide access to documents or other information indicating compliance of those timber and timber products with the applicable legislation”. No specific requirements are established for the types of documents and other information most appropriate to meet this obligation. However, they must be of appropriate quality, credibility and scope to allow the EU importer to determine that a timber product is of negligible risk in terms of illegal supply.

Demonstrating EuTR conformance with u.S. hardwoodsIn the case of U.S. hardwoods, this requirement is satisfied through the comprehensive “Assessment of Lawful Harvesting & Sustainability of U.S. Hardwood Exports”¹ commissioned by AHEC and undertaken by Seneca Creek Associates, a team comprised of well-regarded and independent analysts and experts in the field of U.S. forest policy and forest certification. The Seneca Creek team compiled detailed information on the scope, effectiveness and enforcement of federal, state, and local regulatory programs across all the U.S. hardwood producing states.

The Seneca Creek assessment remains the only comprehensive sector-specific and peer-reviewed study to quantify the risk of any wood being derived from a controversial source, including illegal harvesting, in line with both the FSC Controlled Wood standard and the PEFC Chain of Custody standard. The Seneca Creek study demonstrates that there is less than a 1% risk of any illegal wood entering the U.S. hardwood supply chain. This result emerges from the robust institutional framework for hardwood forest management in the United States which combines clear and fully enforced property rights, multi-generational family forest ownership, respect for the rule of law, and a strong civil society. All U.S. trading companies are also subject to the rigours of the Lacey Act, further mitigating any perceived risks that may be associated with sourcing U.S. hardwood products. ►

As the representative trade association of one of the world’s largest hardwood exporting industries, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has a considerable stake in eradicating illegal wood from trade. A major concern for AHEC is that neither the value nor the reputation of legally harvested products is undermined in world markets by competing products from illicit sources.

For this reason, AHEC was a leading supporter, through membership of the U.S. Hardwood Federation, of the U.S. Lacey Act Amendment of May 2008. This makes it an offence within the U.S. to possess any plant (excluding agricultural crops but including wood and derivative products) “taken, possessed, transported, or sold” in violation of any relevant foreign or state law.

AHEC has also been closely involved with, and fully supports, the efforts by the European Union to enforce the EU Timber Regulation from 3 March 2013. This regulation imposes mandatory requirements on companies that “first place” forest products on the EU market to implement a “due diligence system” to minimise the risk of illegal wood entering the EU. Any such company failing to demonstrate due diligence, or found to have placed illegally harvested wood on the EU market, is subject to legal sanction.

Innovative risk based approach to supply chain managementA key strength of the EUTR is that while it establishes tough sanctions for any failures in due diligence, it is flexible on the mechanisms by which legality may be demonstrated. This responds to the reality of complex international supply chains and highly variable regulatory systems in timber supplying countries.

Nor does EUTR impose unnecessary new controls on suppliers in regions where the existing legal framework is effective. The law does not require European regulatory authorities to capture or monitor individual shipments to ensure they are legal. Instead it focuses on ensuring that EU timber importing companies have effective management systems to reduce the risk of trade in illegal wood. By doing so, it builds on existing due diligence systems that have been applied by responsible European traders for many years.



References

¹ http://www.americanhardwood.org/fileadmin/docs/Seneca_Creek_Study/Seneca_Creek_Study_-_Full_Ver-sion.pdf

² http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/pdf/Final%20Guidance%20document.pdf

Drawing on the Seneca Creek study, together with recent analysis of other data sources such as the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, the FSC Global Risk Register concludes that the United States is low risk against all 4 FSC Controlled Wood criteria established for legality. This conclusion is currently undergoing further review as part of the on-going process to prepare an FSC Controlled Wood National Risk Assessment for the United States.

The EC Guidance on EUTR² indicates that credible third party studies like the Seneca Creek assessment, and independent sources such as the FSC Risk Register, where these demonstrate negligible risk of illegal logging in specific regions or for specific product groups, are an appropriate form of documentation for EU importers to meet their legal obligations.

While EUTR places the due diligence obligation firmly on the importer, AHEC has prepared specific guidance for AHEC Members to ensure that U.S. hardwood exporters are fully briefed on the EUTR obligations and therefore better able to assist their EU customers. The guidance has been prepared drawing on active participation in the process to develop EUTR over the last 5 years, meetings with European Commission and EU Member State officials, and close analysis of the EUTR and supporting documentation. This guidance can be downloaded at http://americanhardwood.org/EUTR/

Need for consistent communication and Eu-wide enforcementAHEC believes that the EU now needs to move forward and commit sufficient resources for consistent communication and effective enforcement of EUTR. It is clearly a very significant challenge to successfully roll out a complex and untried piece of legislation across tens of thousands of operators in the EU. However, if properly enforced, EUTR should play a major role to level the playing field for responsible suppliers of timber into the EU.

According to AHEC European Director David Venables, “EUTR is an opportunity to highlight the leadership role of the timber sector to develop genuinely sustainable supply chains. With passage of the EUTR, the industry will be the first major materials sector able to demonstrate that 100% of raw material supplied into the EU is low risk of being illegally sourced.”

EUTR is also an opportunity for the wood industry to move beyond fire-fighting negative publicity surrounding illegal logging and to build more proactive communication efforts demonstrating the strong environmental credentials of wood compared to non-wood materials.

AHEC’s robust response to the EUTR is part of a much broader strategy by the U.S. hardwood industry to demonstrate real sustainability. “The results of AHEC’s on-going Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) project, together with our EUTR response, clearly demonstrate that U.S. hardwoods have a very powerful story to tell, particularly when environmental issues are taken in the round, on a full cradle to grave basis,” says Venables. ■


Transport

News

Water

Miscellany


Air Quality

Conservation

Energy


Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling


Commercial Vehicle Show Preview114 - 115


With around 400 exhibitors expected at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, the industry’s largest uK exhibition is worthy of its international title as the majority of the key players in the road transport marketplace congregate at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre from 9-11 April.A significant number of vehicle and product launches are promised, giving the whole industry a welcome boost and ensuring that business visitors are offered every option for effective fleet operation and maintenance.

“This is great news for the industry in general and the CV Show in particular”, said SMMT Chief Executive, Paul Everitt. “The changes we are seeing in today’s commercial vehicle industry are borne out of necessity. To have the commitment of exhibitors that range from small delivery specialists to those capable of moving exceptionally large loads shows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, just how far the industry has come in a relatively short space of time.”

The 2013 Show will showcase one of the widest-ever ranges of exhibitors including the majority of the truck, trailer and van manufacturers, tyre specialists, telematics experts, tyre, hydraulic and lifting gear suppliers and tanker operators.

The implementation date for Euro 6 is set for January 2014, so this year’s CV Show will be the only Springtime European opportunity for manufacturers to present their latest products and innovations - and it looks as though several exhibitors are taking advantage of this opportunity with important industry launches.

DAF will be there with its new Euro 6 XF and Mercedes-Benz UK will show its new ‘urban hero’, the Mercedes-Benz Citan small van as well as its new construction truck, Arocs.

It will be five years since Iveco exhibited at the Commercial Vehicle Show in its own right and the company will be back with its flagship Stralis Hi-Way, winner of the International Truck of the Year Award 2013.Volvo Trucks returns to the Show with its recently launched new FH series, and MAN will also take the opportunity for the first UK showing of its Euro 6 cabs. The road transport industry has never claimed that style and image were major selling points, but the decision by BMW to launch its all-new MINI Clubvan at the CV Show means a little glamour will be added to the light commercial vehicle sector.

The MINI Clubvan clearly demonstrates to those who value the importance of both efficiency and appearance that it can offer the perfect extension to any company brand. Commended for delivering style, efficiency and class-leading driving dynamics, coupled with fuel efficiency levels not usually found in light commercial vehicles, the Clubvan has already made a big impression on industry experts.

Ford is introducing a new family of high-tech, fuel-efficient commercials in the UK by 2015. A range of vehicles will exist under the Transit brand name, all of which will be at the International CV Show 2013: Ford Courier, Transit Connect, Transit Custom and two-tonne Transit.Following the introduction early last year of Isuzu’s innovative telematics system, Mimamori, CV Show 2013 will see the launch of the next stage in the company’s driver and operator management programme, Mimamori 2.

Some of the big manufacturer names set to wow the crowds with their latest vehicles are Citroën, DAF Trucks, Fiat Professional, Ford, Isuzu, Isuzu Truck, Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Volvo Trucks.

“Halls 4 and 5 are just about full and it looks as though the Hall 3a will be the same”, said Geoff Dunning, representing Show Partner the Road Haulage Association.

“I am confident in saying that 2013 will be a great Show for exhibitors and visitors alike. If ever an indicator of the strength and determination of the UK’s road transport and logistics industry were needed, there can be no better example than the 2013 Commercial Vehicle Show and Workshop. If you’re an operator or involved in vehicle maintenance, the NEC is the place you have to be,” he continued.

The Cool Pavilion returns in Hall 5 and will be of particular interest to the refrigerated transport operator. Cartwright, Frigoblock, Gray & Adams, Lawrence David, Paneltex, Solomon and Transdek are among exhibitors bringing their latest developments for operators’ attention. ►

Commercial Vehicle Show Preview


With new vehicle Type Approval regulations now in force, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders will again use its presence at the Show to draw attention to the changes of which bodybuilders must be aware. Following its Type Approval roadshow around the UK in early 2013, SMMT will host two seminars at the Show to explain Type Approval, what to be aware of and how to get approval simply, easily and quickly.

As part of the Commercial Vehicle Show, aftermarket-focused ‘Workshop 2013’ is aimed directly at fleet engineers and passenger car garage operators. A wide range of products on show will cover everything from handheld diagnostics to pillar lifts capable of raising a 44-tonne artic off the deck.

The Workshop area in Hall 4 also boasts big names and innovative products with companies like Bradbury Equipment, Cobra UK, Gemco Equipment, Liftmaster Commercial, MAHA, Ring Automotive, Somers Totalkare, Stertil Power Products and Tecalemit showing their latest equipment.

OSS Group specialises in waste oil collection, workshop waste management (including interceptor and septic tank clearances and tyre and workshop waste collections), parts washers and spill containment products. The company produces Gen3™ from the waste oil collected - its latest and most advanced processed fuel oil.

With attention firmly fixed on the need for fuel efficiency, companies like Airtab, Eclipse Diagnostics and Texa UK can ensure that engines operate at peak efficiency 24/7.

The tyre business is well represented by manufacturers, stockists and tyre management companies such as ATS Euromaster, Bandvulc, Bridgestone, R H Claydon, Direct Tyre Management, Hankook and Kirby Tyres.

Additionally, Continental Tyres, a leading manufacturer of commercial tyres for trucks, buses and coaches and industrial vehicles, manages the tyre supply and maintenance for many of the UK’s largest fleets. Its Conti360 Fleet Services offers a national network of tyre service providers.

Cobra is a leader in the provision of security and safety solutions for the CV industry. The company supplies a diverse range of cost-effective products including Global Live mobile CCTV, Cobra anti-theft alarms and parking sensors and CobraTrak stolen vehicle tracking.

Continental Automotive has developed a wide range of tachograph data for fleet managers under its VDO brand. At this year’s Show, Continental will exhibit VDO Digital

Tachograph 2.0 with Counter, giving drivers quick access to live driving hours and required breaks. The company will also show ‘SmartLink’, which is a revolutionary device for using the tachograph remotely inside or outside the cab. Its TIS-Web Messaging also allows users to access data via messaging using iPhone and Android technology.

Among exhibitors offering solutions for efficient fleet management - keeping environmental awareness high on operators’ priorities - are Air1 AdBlue, BlueCat AdBlue, CMS Supatrak, Greenchem Solutions, Greenox AdBlue, Hatcher Components, Isotrak, MiX Telematics, TomTom Business Solutions and Triscan Systems.

With a number of exhibitors planning new vehicle and product launches at the event, CV Show 2013 promises to offer its business visitors every option for effective fleet operation and maintenance.

The websites www.cvshow.com and www.workshopshow.co.uk feature links to the ticket application process and prospective visitors can register by clicking on the ‘free tickets’ panel on the home page. The process is entirely online and visitors should simply print their ticket and bring it to the Show, where it will be scanned at the entrance.

For the very few visitors without online access, there’s a hotline telephone number to help - 0844 557 2788.

The Show websites also list more than 120 categories where visitors can check exhibitors’ products, helping to plan their visit and make best use of their time. Also, visitors with smartphones can download the CV Show app, which features an interactive map, news feed, Twitter stream and exhibitor listing - go to www.cvshowapp.com.

Already, the signs are that the 2013 Commercial Vehicle Show looks set to be another great success and with road transport providing a very accurate barometer for the health of the rest of the UK economy, indications are that road transport looks set to play an even greater part in the economic recovery and future success of UK plc.

The CV Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, will be open from 08:30 to 17:30 on Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 April inclusive.

The Commercial Vehicle Show is owned by the CV Show LLP comprising the Road Haulage Association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and IRTE Services Ltd, the trading company of the SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). ■


Waste & Recycling

News

Water

Miscellany

Transport

118 - 119

120 - 122

123 - 124


Air Quality

Conservation

Energy



Timber & Forestry

Finding the road to AD success - Charlotte Morton

Aiming high. How Scotland’s zero waste ambition is shaping up - Iain Gulland

Recasting UK WEEE recycling - Ian Hetherington


Finding the road to AD success

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive, the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association

Highlighting significant

progress in renewable

energy generation between

July 2011 and 2012 the

Update confirms that the

uK is on-track to meet

its first interim target of

sourcing 15% of all energy

from renewables. ►

December 2012 saw publication of the first Update to DECC’s Renewable Energy Roadmap (June 2011), which set out the government’s approach to unlocking our renewable energy potential.

Images: ADBA

While the Roadmap sets out good initial actions for the renewables industry as a whole, and the update details some good progress generally, if the UK is to truly experience the benefits of a thriving renewables industry and deliver the Coalition’s commitment to a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion – including job creation, improved energy and food security, protection from price fluctuations in oil and gas markets, reduced consumer bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, helping to meet climate change targets, air quality improvements through use of low-carbon vehicle fuels and the many knock on health advantages that would bring – then a much more focused effort is required, particularly for anaerobic digestion deployment.

In their current form neither the original Roadmap nor its Update includes a dedicated section for anaerobic digestion or states the clear potential for biomethane as a transport fuel. This is despite the Coalition commitment and the Committee on Climate Change revising its estimates for energy delivery through AD by 2020 up to 20 TWh, in recognition of the significant contribution that this technology could make – and not just from an energy perspective.

Roadmap to anaerobic digestion successReacting to this we, the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, published our own roadmap for AD focusing on what is needed for the UK to deliver its full potential from anaerobic digestion.


Identifying six key challenges – minimising the investment risk, access to feedstock, ensuring cost effective grid investment and connection for biomethane, supporting use of biomethane as a transport fuel, supporting markets for digestate and reform of the planning system – the report pinpoints the specific barriers to growth and suggests clear policy actions to help the industry overcome the challenges.

Addressing the challenges

Challenge one: the investment riskStill a relatively young sector, AD is still reliant on government incentives to attract finance, build confidence and achieve growth. On top of this potential investors are made nervous by continual uncertainty over tariff levels and key policies in areas such as waste, transport and bioenergy, and the risk this uncertainty creates. As a result it is of utmost importance that the market has confidence in the longevity of financial incentives and government policy. Stability will come from long-term support at sufficient levels to reflect the risks, with capacity triggers set at sensible levels and a workable pre-accreditation system across all incentive schemes. We need the government to ensure that issues around the FIT and RHI are resolved, the incentives for using biomethane as a transport fuel are at least as attractive as other incentives, and other key policy areas provide the clear long term direction needed.

Challenge two: access to feedstockFeedstock is the lifeblood of the industry, irrespective of financial stability - without feedstock there is no AD industry. The best way to increase the volume of material available for processing through AD would be to support source-segregated collections of organic waste and consider implementing a ban on biodegradable material to landfill. Crops for AD are also a significant potential feedstock, offering additional benefits to farming over and above energy production. Climate change targets cannot be met without sustainably produced bioenergy. The greatest threat to our food security is Climate Change. UK farmers are some of the most efficient in the world – we need to build on their expertise and invest in more R&D to look at how we can make best use of land in order to produce the food and fuel and fibre that the country needs, whilst at the same time enhancing the environment, our soils and biodiversity.

Challenge three: grid connection for biomethaneInjection into the grid is forecast to account for over 50% of biogas generated by 2030. At present only a handful of plants have actually gone down this route because of the high costs involved and a range of technical issues, not least the Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR). The AD industry needs a standard exemption for biomethane injection to be finalised, the recommendations of the Energy Market Issues in Biomethane group to be implemented quickly with appropriate resourcing and focus within DECC and Ofgem, and we need to see an obligation on gas suppliers to purchase green gas.

Challenge four: biomethane as a transport fuelUsing biomethane to replace diesel in heavy goods vehicles offers some of the greatest carbon savings possible from biogas. Not only this, biomethane delivers significant reductions in particulate and NOx emissions, improving air quality. However current incentives do not directly support biomethane producers to upgrade biogas for vehicles; the support provided by the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation is far less than the competing options of gas grid injection or electricity production.

Challenge five: markets for digestateDigestate biofertiliser produced through the AD process helps to displace further GHG emissions from farming through reducing dependence on commercial carbon-intensive fertilisers; AD preserves the nutrients present in the organic feedstock allowing them to be recycled back to land. Government and industry must continue to work together to ensure that domestic and European end of waste specifications are workable and support the development of a market for what should be a valuable digestate

product. We need to see dialogue between farmers, farm assurance schemes, food processors, the supermarkets and the AD sector to allow us to deliver a high quality and usable product, to increase the use of digestate as a low-carbon biofertiliser.

Challenge six: the planning systemWhile many plants have found planning consent a fairly smooth process, others have faced serious time delays and significant expense, with local communities objecting to development typically on the basis of perceived problems around odour and transport.

However a supportive planning system is essential if we are to see the growth of AD as a sustainable food waste treatment option allowing us all to make best use of waste resources. We need the effect of the National Planning Policy Framework to be monitored to ensure it is applied consistently to proposed AD projects on the ground, and introduce a National Waste Management Plan for England which supports planning for anaerobic digestion facilities across the country.

The goalAD could bring huge benefits to the UK, not only as a flexible, constantly generated form of renewable gas but by providing a more sustainable waste treatment option, supporting climate-smart farming and improving our air quality, as well as generating significant growth and 35,000 much needed jobs. DECC’s roadmap alone will not bring the coordination across government needed to realise these benefits. Waste policy needs to maximise the organic material available for AD. Bioenergy policy needs to support good practice and compare technologies by common criteria. Biomethane in transport needs a more attractive framework of support. Without these things we will not achieve our potential, and at a time of fiscal constraints that would be a sorely missed opportunity. ■


Aiming highHow

Scotland’s zero waste

ambitionis shaping up

Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland

Crucial here is a real need to change the way everyone views waste, both as an individual and at a strategic level. Rather than seeing waste as a problem to be dealt with, we all need to move to a position where waste is seen as a resource to be valued. The vision of a circular economy recognises this: a whole-system approach where resources flow through our economy in ways which maximise their value right from before goods are produced and right through to their recovery, recycling, and reprocessing; and where business models and consumer habits reinforce these opportunities.

As raw materials and resources become ever more scarce, valuing all our resources, including those hidden in materials we once thought of as waste, has never been more important. Reducing a reliance on virgin raw materials will help industries and economy become more resilient and expanding recycling and reprocessing activities also offers the potential to boost the economy and create jobs. In fact, achieving Scotland’s targets could benefit Scotland’s economy by around £175m, mitigating against landfill taxes and enabling revenue to be generated from the sale of high quality recyclable material.

The Zero Waste Scotland programme provides a range of support, guidance and funding to help individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and use resources more efficiently. Resource efficiency is about so much more than being good for the environment, as essential as that is. It offers

real potential for organisations to realise cost-saving benefits too. To help drive efforts to achieve action, new Waste (Scotland) Regulations will come into force from the beginning of January 2014. The regulations require any and all businesses to separate key recyclable materials - including paper and card, plastic, metals and glass - for collection for recycling. Organisations who are involved with food production, food preparation or food retail, will also be required to separate food waste.

The implementation of these regulations should bolster and encourage the efforts to improve the way resources are managed, with greater scrutiny of how services are being delivered to minimise waste. In preparing to meet the regulatory requirements, Zero Waste Scotland is working to raise awareness and motivation as many people and organisations must all play their part if Scotland is to adapt to zero waste behaviours and lifestyles.

With household recycling rates in Scotland increasing from less than 5% to over 40% in less than a decade, it’s clear what an impact local authorities can have in making change happen. Zero Waste Scotland has supported local authorities in helping householders recycle more easily at home, providing guidance to help inform the provision of new or increased local services, and helping communicate the importance of reducing and recycling waste to the public through the ‘Recycle for Scotland’ brand.

Scotland aims to lead the way in becoming a nation which makes best use of all resources and reaps the economic benefits which that brings. A target to recycle 70% of all Scotland’s waste, with only 5% of remaining waste ending up in landfill, by 2025, means achieving this ambition will take the action, commitment, and support of people and organisations across Scotland, in every sector, every industry and every community.

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w

as

te


A significant practical shift in what can be collected, recycled and managed is also having an impact. The recent expansion of food waste recycling collections at household kerbsides has significantly increased across the country. Zero Waste Scotland has already invested around £10m in food waste collections and this will continue to be a priority. By this March, it’s estimated that three-quarters of a million homes will have access to a food waste recycling collection. A recently published report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers highlighted the shocking global scale of food waste, and the public reaction provided another reminder and opportunity to change consumer behaviour towards food. Love Food Hate Waste, delivered in Scotland by Zero Waste Scotland, offers consumers practical advice and guidance on how to reduce their food waste. By taking simple steps, such as checking the cupboards and making a list before going to the supermarket, and using leftover ingredients to make new meals, each household could to save up to £430 a year and reduce the massive amount of food being wasted.

While recycling collections from the household are making significant progress, high value materials disposed of away from the home are still being sent to landfill, or worse, are littering communities. £850,000 has been recently invested by Zero Waste Scotland to install recycling bins at over 250 sites across Scotland, making it easier to recycle away from the home. Here ‘waste’ truly has a value: items such as plastic bottles can now

implement or expand resource efficient measures for their business.

Alongside such advice and information, Zero Waste Scotland also has a number of individual Funds and programmes to support pilot projects and new ideas to test and introduce new approaches to waste and resources management. For a business, introducing new recycling practices, or making changes to current ones, can seem like a daunting and costly task – but it doesn’t have to be. Zero Waste Scotland has invested £75,000 to help increase the availability of collection services to SMEs, as well as supporting collaborative approaches to recycling which have helped groups of businesses come together and make cost savings on recycling collections. Saving some businesses up to 70% in waste management costs, such measures have also helped to reduce vehicle emissions and minimise the number of waste bins and bags on the street.

The overall goal is to ensure only the minimum amount of waste is left to deal with. It requires thinking about every step in the process of enterprise. For example, for a business which produces packaged products, simple changes such as introducing reusable packaging to replace single use items could have a ►

be separated for recycling and sold for up to £190 per tonne, benefiting both the Scottish economy and the environment at the same time.

Of course to complete the picture, it’s not only government, local authorities, householders and consumers who are doing their bit to minimise waste and recycling where possible. The contribution businesses can make is integral to the success or otherwise of meeting the ambitious goal. Every business on any scale, in any sector, generates forms of waste, and the steps they can take to reduce waste and maximise resource offer the potential to significantly reduce the impact on the environment. But more than this, businesses that are increasingly resource efficient can gain a competitive advantage and make real cost savings - it is thought that implementing waste prevention measures could see Scottish businesses save up to £1.4bn every year.

Zero Waste Scotland is delivering a dedicated programme to support businesses as they prepare to meet their new obligations under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations, and from this spring its Resource Efficient Scotland service will provide advice on energy, water and materials to any business looking to

“The Zero Waste Scotland programme provides a range of support, guidance and funding to help individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and use resources more efficiently.”


real impact, and for the business lead to significant cost savings in the long run. Likewise, introducing a robust recycling collection for the remaining waste which is purposely designed to capture quality materials means that value could be generated from these materials too.

In order to benefit from the economic value of such material resources, there’s a need for a strong resource management at a whole system level. Zero Waste Scotland is investing to develop Scotland’s reprocessing industry and supporting activities that aim to ensure quality is embedded at all stages. Such a ‘new age’ manufacturing industry, where high quality materials are reprocessed to start their life again, is what can make the circular economy more than a vision.

Indeed, Zero Waste Scotland is looking to go beyond support for existing infrastructure in the form of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) which prepare commonly recycled materials such as plastic bottles, cans and paper for reprocessing, and to develop further

Scottish infrastructure through The £2.5m Scottish Plastics Loan Fund (SPLF), designed to support the development of new mixed plastics reprocessing facilities.

The resource management industry will need to be ready to respond quickly to cutting-edge technological developments and consider less conventional materials to help Scotland remain competitive in the global market place. In 2012, four Scottish local authorities piloted the recycling of Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP) such as nappies - 450,000 of which are currently sent to landfill sites in Scotland every day. The evaluation of these pilots will assess the feasibility of a permanent roll out across these local authority areas.It’s clear that it will take the combined efforts of many to make the aim a reality rather than a vision but undoubtedly action is taking place at every level, and in many ways. Supported by information, expertise, services, and funding from Zero Waste Scotland, partners, businesses, industries, organisations and individuals can access what they need to make real change.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:“Recent years have seen a shift in the way we perceive ‘waste’ as the true value of our resources becomes apparent. Scotland has emerged as a leader on this journey, with ambitious targets and the introduction of the aspiring new Waste (Scotland) Regulations which are set to be a game changer.

“We all have a role to play in making the most of our resources and striving to meet our ambitious targets. We’ve already seen household recycling rates increase, businesses moving waste policy up their agenda, and the resource management industry looking to innovative new solutions – but there’s much more still to be done.

“This year, the Year of Natural Scotland, will see further progress as local authorities expand their recycling services and continue to raise awareness about the benefits of recycling. Ahead of the new regulations, businesses will be supported to help reach compliance while taking the opportunity to boost profits by implementing resource efficient measures.

“And as we prepare to take centre stage to host the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, we’ll be launching the first national anti-litter strategy since devolution, taking action to end Scotland’s litter problem.

“We’ve seen great progress in the last few years, and I look forward to taking our next steps towards achieving our goal of becoming a zero waste society.” ■


Recasting UK WEEE recycling

STANDFIRST: Ian Hetherington, director general of the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) suggests what measures are needed to meet the new recycling targets under the EU’s Recast WEEE Directive.

The British Metals Recycling Association is a trade association for ferrous and non-

ferrous recycling companies throughout the uK, representing

300 businesses from multi-national

companies to small family-owned

enterprises including shredder operators,

merchants and traders. Many BMRA members are actively

involved in the recovery and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment and are licensed as

authorised treatment facilities. Additionally, some are approved to export WEEE-derived

materials.

The UK’s £5.6bn metals recycling industry recovers around 13 million tonnes of metal every year, including over 368,000 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from January to September 2012. The metals recycling sector is the largest and most successful recycling sector in the UK, and achieving recycling targets for WEEE plays a vital part in this.

Currently, metals recyclers in the UK need to recycle and recover substantial quantities of electronic waste in order for the producers of electrical goods to meet their responsibilities under the WEEE Directive. However, the UK faces higher recycling targets following the European Union’s adoption of the Recast WEEE Directive in July last year. Member states have until January 2014 to update existing WEEE legislation in order to meet a WEEE collection rate of up to 85% by 2016 for some materials.

Streamline regulationsThe Recast WEEE Directive provides the government with the opportunity to streamline regulations for the collection, reuse and recycling of WEEE. Approaching the challenge of meeting the higher targets more pragmatically and cost effectively will help producers and recyclers reach the required rates and sustain a viable activity.

Recent draft proposals seek to add new barriers to the processing of WEEE but offer no substantive evidence of improvement to the environment or to human health in this country. These proposals, if adopted, will add to the cost and complexity of recycling these waste streams and potentially push some of the secondary raw materials that are derived from this waste steam into negative value.

These are examples of an ever-present tendency for regulators and enforcement agencies to focus on the processes that are deployed by industry rather than focus on the actual outputs. This tendency stifles innovation and creates a climate where companies become averse to taking risks to develop new processes because they fear regulatory interference.

We all recognise that there is overcapacity across the WEEE recycling sector and there are real benefits to be derived from the dismantling and re-use of some WEEE. Equally, we know that some companies have invested heavily in dedicated processing plants. However, it is not the role of regulators or enforcement agencies to prescribe which process should be implemented, provided that all those in the supply chain comply with their permits and that the UK complies with the Waste Framework Directive and other related directives. ►

“The Recast WEEE Directive provides the government with the opportunity to streamline regulations.”


The BMRA certainly welcomes the on-going review of the implementation of the WEEE Directive in the UK and looks forward to the conclusions reached by it. The current arrangements do seem to be overly bureaucratic and have placed unnecessary administrative and financial burdens on the entire WEEE supply chain.

Boosting WEEE processingThe government needs to implement a more balanced approach which aims to reach WEEE recycling rates efficiently and cost effectively. A consistent and supportive policy is needed to enable industry investment, research and sustained development into the collection and processing of WEEE. Enhanced collection processes, the continued development of new processing technologies which extract more materials of value and an improved feedback loop in the design of new electrical devices will help the UK reach more ambitious recycling rates. This will allow the UK to retain its position as a leading metals recycler, boost recycling rates, create a valuable knowledge hub and new ‘green’ jobs.

Adequate provision must be made within the planning system to accommodate and develop recycling facilities in general, particularly in the metal recycling industry. Most local waste plans do not give adequate consideration to metals recycling, if at all. To fully realise the metals recycling industry’s potential, the planning system needs to recognise the role being played by metals recycling, protect existing sites and make provisions for their extension or appropriate relocation. For example many metal recycling facilities have operated for several generations at the same site only to find that housing and other developments have encroached upon them creating major operating problems and inconveniencing the new residents.

Businesses must be allowed to either continue to operate or relocate to more appropriate sites. However, it must be recognised that metal collection and processing plants need to be sited close to the conurbations where the majority of WEEE arises, and that advanced recovery operations need to be sited as close as possible to their feedstock and existing equipment such as shredders. This reduces unnecessary journeys, keeping costs and environmental impact to a minimum.

Trading on a level playing fieldSadly, with the decline in our domestic metals sector, the UK’s metals recycling industry produces far more metal than can be consumed by domestic manufacturing. Metal exports make a massive contribution to the UK economy, meaning it is essential for the UK to be able to trade internationally on level terms with major competitors such the USA and Japan. Moves from Europe to restrict exports of recycled metals including WEEE, largely motivated by the lobbying of big aluminium and copper producers, must therefore be resisted.

The higher recovery rates of waste electrical and electronic equipment set out by the Recast WEEE Directive are not impossible to achieve. However, a concerted level of support from the government is necessary, backed up by a regulatory framework which concentrates on reaching the targets economically and efficiently.

There needs to be a continued and higher level of investment in advancing technologies to process a larger volume of WEEE as well as improvements in planning provisions to maintain and extend the UK’s recycling infrastructure.

Combined with enabling the unrestricted global trade of recycled WEEE and other metals against opposition in Europe, the UK should be able to achieve the increased rates. As well as hitting the targets set out by the EU, recycling WEEE supplies secondary raw material which preserves natural resources, saves energy and reduces carbon emissions by up to 90% in metals production. ■

“The illegal export of unprocessed WEEE must be addressed with vigour; although this represents a tiny proportion compared to the volume handled responsibly by UK recyclers.”

“Concerns over illegal exports should not be allowed to drive policy on resource security or the international trade of secondary materials derived from the processing of WEEE.”

“The continued development of new processing technologies will help the UK reach more ambitious recycling rates.”

“Metal exports make a massive contribution to the UK economy so it is essential for the UK to be able to trade internationally on a level playing field.”


Water

News

Transport

Miscellany

128 - 129

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Air Quality

Conservation

Energy



Timber & Forestry

Waste & Recycling

Optimising water treatment assets for increased efficiency - Darren Dale

Monitoring technology improves production efficiency - Dr Patsy Rigby


Optimising water treatment assets for increased efficiency

Against a tough economic and legislative background, ensuring consistent water quality and future system capacity for sewage and waste water treatment is an ongoing challenge for utility companies. With tightening budgets, optimising existing assets can safely and effectively help meet these challenges.

There is potential for some organisations to overlook the efficiencies that can be gained by upgrading technologies as a way to improve their existing assets, instead favouring the addition of “bolt on” technologies, or complete rebuilds. Darren Dale, from Siemens Industry, discusses how businesses which upgrade existing systems are benefiting from improved water quality, and cost efficiencies without adding additional process steps.

For plants that need to update systems to reduce operating costs, expand capacity and increase effluent quality, there is a tendency for operators to see technology benefits available in the market and purchase new equipment which creates a further process step. This adds further complexity to a system, which then adds additional engineering time and increases plant footprint which has inherent costs associated with it. Furthermore, management at ageing plants may decide to rebuild, overlooking the benefits available from upgrading existing assets.

The removal of phosphorus, under the urban waste water treatment directive (91/271/EEC), is one example of a key concern for many plants which is a major driver to improve quality. However, it is important that all decisions to update infrastructure are carefully considered before spend is committed, as there are a range of options available to ensure plants can be confident quality targets are met.

upgrading to optimiseIn many cases, sites can reap the quality benefits and confidence in infrastructure performance they seek by upgrading the biological step in their system to ensure it meets targets. By investing resource here, post-treatment options such as sand filtration and disc aeration are not needed. Importantly, this minimises a plant’s footprint, delivering operational efficiency.

A prime example of how plants can upgrade their system, instead of simply adding to the

Improving effluent quality is an ongoing goal for the industry as public safety is the number one priority. Ensuring this is achieved in a cost effective and reliable manner is crucial for operators. As water treatment infrastructure ages, technology continues to advance and plants face the decision of how to best keep operations running while meeting safety and operational efficiency targets.

Darren Dale, Sales and Marketing Director for Siemens Water Technologies

►


technology portfolio, is in the clarification system. Circular clarifiers – such as the Rim-Flo® from Siemens – are now available and can be used as secondary activated sludge clarifiers in sewage treatment plants. They are installed in existing clarifiers to provide the extra capacity needed to relieve overloading situations. This offers plants greater capacity, higher overflow rates and lower construction costs. Circular clarifiers can increase velocity, as up to 50% less clarifiers are needed within the treatment system.

A circular clarifier can help achieve greater than 50% hydraulic efficiency compared to traditional centre feed clarifiers. This hydraulic efficiency means that clarifiers can be designed with up to 50% less surface area which offers footprint reduction. This solution can be adopted to replace ageing infrastructure, help plants meet increased quality targets and increase energy efficiency.

“A circular clarifier can help achieve greater than 50% hydraulic efficiency compared to traditional centre feed clarifiers.”

A further example of technology to advance biological treatment, which doesn’t require the installation of an additional process step, is the BioMagTM System from Siemens. It is a solution for plants needing increased treatment capacity, or enhanced nutrient removal capability at a lower cost than membrane bioreactor technology. The technology works by simplifying treatment by improving sedimentation. Through installation the clarifier footprint is decreased by 50% and sites are able to handle peaks in flow better while increasing effluent quality.

BioMagTM Systems work by enhancing biological wastewater treatment processes using magnetite to ballast biological floc. With a specific gravity of 5.2 and a strong affinity for biological solids, magnetite substantially increases the settling rate of the biomass. Increasing settling rates of the biological floc provides the opportunity to increase mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration. Higher MLSS concentration enables the treatment of increased hydraulic flows or surges and loadings, all with the same tankage.

Another area where plants are upgrading existing systems is activated sludge treatment. Here advanced aeration systems are being installed to update their process. The core of this system is a disc aeration process which is highly effective at high oxygen transfer rates and is energy efficient when mixing at the first stages of biological treatment.

When considering any update to plant infrastructure, it is important to look at the investment’s whole life costs, not just initial expenditure. Consider the maintenance required for the technology, as well as its energy efficiency and how it will impact the footprint of the plant.

For increased efficiency consider any upgrade as a part of a site’s integrated treatment

system. While many plants look at their requirements on a need-by-need basis, true operational and cost efficiencies are achieved from operating an integrated system that is carefully and intelligently designed.

Optimising plant efficiency is about simplifying plant upgrades, so selecting the right technology and solution to meet a site’s specific needs. By keeping systems simple - i.e. not adding additional process steps when a simple upgrade could provide the solution - operators will benefit from cost, time and plant footprint reductions. Communication is key here. Plants should consult with an expert, someone that understands the industry and their needs and can recommend the right, most efficient solution. Bigger is most definitely not always better. Increasing efficiency is possible without tertiary treatment options and this applies to even the toughest treatment challenges. ■

www.industry.siemens.co.uk

www.siemens.co.uk

[email protected]

[email protected]



Monitoring technology improves production efficiency

Dr Patsy Rigby, HACH LANGE, UK

QuINN Glass, a major contract bottle manufacturer and filler, has optimised bottle throughput by switching from electrochemical to optical dissolved oxygen monitoring at the on-site wastewater treatment plant in the company’s Elton facility in Cheshire, uK. Every hour of maintenance stoppage on the treatment plant represents a 1 hour delay on the 5 line filling hall. At speeds of 24,000 - 60,000 bottles per hour, this can translate to a throughput loss of 110,000 - 300,000 bottles.

Six Sigma process efficiency lies at the heart of the process and the switch to optical dissolved oxygen probes, which offer an 80% reduction in maintenance downtime in comparison with traditional electrochemical technology, has enabled the plant to maximise production.

QUINN Glass both manufactures and contract fills/packs glass containers for some of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. As one of the two newest glass plants within the UK, the Elton facility combines bottle manufacture with a state of the art bottle filling plant, Europe’s largest automated bonded warehouse and an on-site wastewater treatment facility.

Operating on 13 glass container manufacturing lines, the Elton site can produce 7 million glass containers in any 24hr period. The filling hall houses 3 beer and fab lines (maintaining speeds of up to 60,000 bottles per hour) and 2 wine and spirit lines (maintaining 24,000 bottles filled per hour). Optimising throughput efficiency is a core goal for the plant and with bottling volume increasing year on year, the company’s vision for 2016 is to expand wine sales from 128 million litres to 230 million litres over the 4 year period. At the centre of such plans lies a serious investment commitment to the facility resulting in a highly automated and partly robot controlled factory for streamlined operational throughput and a green scheme to not only minimise plant impact but also improve the local environment. ►


Central to the environmental programme is a biological wastewater treatment facility with a 260m3 per hour capability, operating 24/7 between 3 staggered Sequential Batch Reactors (SBR). The clear surface water from the post-treatment process is collected in an attenuation pond, filtered through reed beds and discharged by consent to Hoole Pool Gutter (which ultimately links up to the estuaries of the Mersey).

Matt Tait, Site Facilities Manager, manages the water treatment plant. He says: “The effluent load from QUINN Glass would be too costly to have treated externally through our regional wastewater utility. With 1000m3 wastewater being treated every day, the estimated cost would be a staggering £16m a year, so the installation of an on-site treatment plant in 2005 not only saves us a vast amount of money but enables the plant to control and prevent any impact on the local environment.

“The treatment begins with raw process effluent water pumped 25m uphill to the SBR plant. Flow rate is measured to determine the treatment volume with excess volumes diverted to a special on-site lagoon (holding up to 6000m3 of extra capacity wastewater). The stream then passes through an on-line total organic carbon (TOC) analyser as a guide to the degree of treatment required. If a high organic overload is present, the feed is diverted to a holding tank from where it can be drip-fed into the main treatment process.

“In the raw feed water tank, course screening removes any large particulates, pH is measured continuously and the liquor dosed with caustic or acid to ensure the optimum pH of 6-9 is achieved – a condition promoting bacterial efficiency. An on-line differential pH sensor from HACH LANGE has been specifically chosen because of its low drift (resulting from isolation of the reference electrode from the sample matrix).”

SBR aeration cycle

Aeration begins with wastewater fed to one of the 720m3 SBR bioreactor tanks, each

running 24/7, 365 days a year. Oxygen monitoring is a critical part of this process. With aeration

representing typically 50% of the total energy cost of water treatment, an excess supply of oxygen (above 4mg/L) must be avoided. In contrast, if the oxygen supply is insufficient (under 2mg/L) the survival rate of aerobic bacterial seed and breakdown efficiency is seriously

compromised.

Measurement accuracy is not the only factor influencing choice of the detection system

– maintenance downtime for on-line instruments must be minimal to ensure

streamlined 24/7 continuous operation.

Traditional oxygen control of aerationTraditional electrochemical oxygen sensors are based on a concentric ring electrode assembly surrounded by a charge carrying electrolyte and covered by an oxygen porous membrane. Installed electrodes are pre-polarised for up to 45 minutes in the sample to stabilise the background signal before use. Oxygen arrives and reacts at the electrode surface and its consumption

releases a flow of electrons detected across the electrode pair. To replace the consumed

oxygen, a constant flow of sample is essential to renew the surface and

maintain the signal. In addition, the membrane integrity is critical: if the

membrane splits and becomes too porous, current leakage causes a saturated flat-line response, while insufficient porosity resulting from a particulate/fibre blocked surface causes at best, a sluggish response and at worst, no signal at all. With metal electrodes susceptible

to interference and poisoning by the matrix itself (from compounds

including H2S, methane, metals which oxidise at the same potential)

sensors are prone to drift and need frequent maintenance.

The regular 1 hour downtime associated with electrode removal, cleaning, change of electrolyte and

membrane, re-polarisation in the tank and final re-calibration is a serious drawback for electrochemical sensors.

QUINN Glass challenged water analysis specialists HACH LANGE to provide a reliable plug and play, low maintenance in-situ system to cut down the service and maintenance time associated with traditional electrochemical based systems, and LDO probes were recommended, mounted on sliding poles for simple probe insertion and removal.

LDO yields maximum uptimeOptical LDO (luminescent dissolved oxygen) based measurement overcomes the maintenance limitations of electrochemical systems. In simple terms, blue light is shone onto the surface of a luminescent layer at the tip of the probe. With changes in energy at the surface, red light is emitted which is monitored for intensity and speed of return. When oxygen is present, energy is lost at the layer which reduces the intensity and increases return speed of the emitted red light. There is no requirement for electrode polarisation, no electrolyte or membrane replacement, no flow dependence or interferences and because the probes are factory calibrated and ready for use. This leads to a proven 80-85% reduction in maintenance downtime (simply a replacement of the sensor cap every 2 years and an infrequent wipe down with a damp cloth).

As Matt continues, “Each LDO probe is mounted on a 2.3m pole approximately 1m below the water surface in the SBR tank. We monitor the oxygen graphically on our computer and the trending is used to pre-gauge the COD load (where the oxygen is slow to reach the 2mg/L treatment threshold, oxygen mixing is inadequate and COD would be excessive for bacterial efficiency).We have 2 set alarm points: under 2mg/L a first alarm indicates anaerobic conditions which would kill the seed bacteria, and over 4mg/L level a second high range alarm warns us to stop the aeration and save energy.”

Installation in the SBR tanksSummarising the key benefit of the LDO technology Matt says, “Our Six Sigma management strategy is not just looking at one part of the process but the process as a whole. Downtime at the effluent treatment stage causes a serious knock-on effect at earlier stages such as stoppage of the filling hall. By transferring from traditional electrochemical based oxygen monitoring to LDO technology there is minimal need to stop the SBR tanks for maintenance which prevents delays in the filling hall and enables much better throughput for the plant.” ■

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Sustainability Live 2013 Show preview

Education: A Case for Environmental Education - Professor William Scott

Environmental Prosecutions

ISO 14001 - making a global environmental difference - Martin Baxter

Product Guide

Case Study One: Paste technology offers an environmental friendly way to dispose of tailings from mining industry

Case Study Two: Solar Air Heating technology from CA Group delivers significant results for M&S

Case Study Three: Alumasc Meets Environmental Criteria At EcoCampus, Hamilton International Park

Case Study Four: Pet foods facility achieves less than two year payback with LED lighting

Case Study Five: Solar system at the height of 111 meters

Case Study Six: Pioneering environment project to give Adderbury Lakes a sparkling future

Famous Last Words: Sir David Attenborough


Sustainability Live 2013 Show Preview– The comprehensive event for energy, water and energy from waste sectors

On April 16-18 we welcome the return of Sustainability Live to the NEC in Birmingham. This year the event comprises three shows - NEMEX energy Live, IWEX water Live and the brand new EfW EXPO energy from waste Live - these unique exhibitions will showcase the latest products and services from leading companies across the energy, water and energy from waste industries to thousands of visitors.

In addition delegates will be able to access, for free, a full programme of seminars delivered by leading organisations including policy-makers, manufacturers, developers and industry experts.

NEMEX energy Live The theme of this year’s NEMEX event is New Energy Management Excellence. Responding to the evolving marketplace, the show will see a major focus on building energy management systems (BEMS), energy efficiency and innovative energy management - from lighting to building fabrics and software to solar.

Rarely has there been a more crucial moment in the energy industry as we face legal and policy changes and massive technological advances that will impact on all energy users. At NEMEX the broad range of exhibitors and diverse programme of seminars will reflect both the opportunities and challenges facing our sector today.

The opening session of the NEMEX energy Live seminars will focus on Energy Policy, and features a presentation from Andrew Warren of the Association for the Conservation of Energy, providing delegates with his perspective on the Government’s Energy Efficiency Strategy, whilst a representative from DECC will be discussing the Energy Bill and the current status of the legal process, following the Energy Bill’s introduction into Parliament last November. Other highlights of the NEMEX seminar programme include KiWi Power presenting on Energy Usage; a focus on Smart Metering with speakers from British Gas and OfGem; the Energy Networks Association will be running a session on the Low Carbon Networks Fund followed shortly after by


Energy Team presenting on how to Reduce Bills and Use Smart Networks. Siemens will present on Behavioural Change and the NEF will be amongst several speakers highlighting issues around Building Energy Management Systems, with other sessions covering a wide range of issues including PV/Solar, the Green Deal and Energy Management Standards.

NEMEX energy Live is sponsored by Schneider Electric, and as well as presenting in the Building Energy Management Systems session, they will also be taking part in a seminar that will focus on Influencing the Supply Chain and Procurement. Both sessions take place in Theatre One on Thursday 18th April.

IWEX water Live IWEX is the UK’s leading exhibition dedicated to water and wastewater management and continues to be the key forum for the industry to tackle issues, find ways to reduce our dependency on water, better manage increasingly scarce water resources and look at effective wastewater solutions.

IWEX takes place against a backdrop of increasing concerns over the future of the UK water industry. For visitors it will provide reassurance: displaying new sustainable water solutions and offering advice on possible savings and best practice for their organisations. A visit to the show also offers the opportunity to gain high quality insight through the comprehensive seminar programme. Keynote topics include Catchment Area Management, Energy Savings in Water and Wastewater, Sustainable Water Management, Smart Water Networks and Innovations in Treatment Technologies. Highlights of the IWEX seminars include: A presentation from AMEC, ‘Towards Sustainable Sewerage on Tyneside’ in the Catchment Area Management session; Schneider Electric running a session on Energy Savings in Water & Wastewater; a look at ‘AMI – Diverse Technologies, One Solution’ by Elster Metering; and both AECOM and united utilities Water Plc speaking in the Sustainable Water Management session.

Another highlight of IWEX will be the Institute of Water Drilling & Tapping Championship, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2013. Companies from the water industry will take part in heats to drill and tap a 150mm diameter ductile iron main under pressure and connect a service tap against each other in a series of tense time trials.

EfW EXPO – energy from waste LiveJoining the Sustainability Live family for the first time, EfW EXPO is a new event dedicated to energy from waste suppliers and it will cover the whole spectrum of advanced thermal treatment and pre-treatment processes, including gasification, autoclaving, anaerobic digestion, MBT, and incineration with combined heat and power.

Under the EU directive requirement for 15% of UK energy to come from renewables by 2020, organisations will have to rethink their approach to resource-hungry processes and to improving sustainable business practice. EfW EXPO will showcase best practice and cutting edge solutions from this fast developing sector and will bring together industry professionals all looking for inspired innovation and fresh ideas.

The EfW EXPO show will feature an unrivalled and comprehensive seminar programme across two theatres which will review the latest energy from waste market developments, combining the best in thought leadership with practical solutions to ensure sustainability sits at the heart of business processes. Topics covered will include – Landfill Gas Generation, Bio-fuels, Feedstock, Anaerobic Digestion & Biogas and RDF & SRF (Refuse Derived / Solid Recovered Fuels)

Highlights of the EfW EXPO seminars include: A partner from specialist legal firm, Walker Morris, discussing key legal and contractual issues with advanced thermal technology products in the Policy Drivers/Legislation part of the programme; presentations from Aqua Enviro, Clearfleau and PROjEN in the Anaerobic Digestion and BioGas session; Scottish Water Horizons speaking

“Rarely has there been a more crucial moment in the energy industry as we face legal and policy changes and massive technological advances that will impact on all energy users”


about Feedstock; and both WRAP and Advanced Thermal Treatment Technologies discussing Refuse Derived and Solid Recovered Fuels. The EfW EXPO programme also includes speakers from Veolia, NQA, REA, SITA, EDF and SERCO.

All seminars at Sustainability Live are free to attend and are CPD-accredited.

Donna Bushell, Event Director at NEMEX energy Live, said: “Across all three shows, there are hundreds of seminars to choose from. We have expert speakers who can offer insight into policy change at the highest level, and inspirational presentations that illustrate the latest industry developments and innovations across the energy, water and energy from waste sectors. We want visitors to feel both informed about current issues and inspired by the wide range of solutions that organisations will be showing. All our exhibitors will be happy to discuss the individual needs and requirements of visitors.”

ExhibitorsSome of the industry’s most well-known and well respected names are taking stands at Sustainability Live 2013.

Some of the highlights to look out for include:

At NEMEX BSI, the British Standards Group will launch the revised Energy Reduction Verification Kitemark which will help companies to demonstrate their environmental credentials by having third-party verification of the year on year savings. CODEL International meanwhile is launching EMax, a new, intelligent boiler energy management system, and Worldview Learning will focus on the recent launch of the ‘Energy Awareness Campaign in a Box’ – a complete solution for engaging employees in energy awareness and driving significant savings in energy consumption. Other companies showing the latest energy efficiency products and services include: Schneider Electric, Business Stream, NQA, Lucy Switchgear, powerPerfector, EIC, utility Partnership, Stokvis Energy Systems, IMSERV, Marshall Tufflex and many more.

At IWEX almost a hundred leading organisations are taking stands this year including: T-T Pumps, ABB, Hydra-Valve Advanced Valve & Pipeline Solutions, British Water, KSB, Glasdon,Verder uK plus Draeger Safety who will be launching the new Polytron 8000 flammable or toxic gas detector series. Designed specifically to measure gases using a uniform operating principle, this new innovation will make the entire process of fixed gas detection much easier from an operator point of view.

Exhibitor activities to look out for at EfW EXPO include: Netzsch Pumps & Systems showing

the TORNADO rotary lobe pumps range, which, since launch, have been primarily used in the environmental and wastewater, oil and gas, pulp and paper and food and pharma industries. Also CAD-Schroer is supporting green energy providers by offering all companies in the renewable energy sector a 70% discount on its MPDS4 3D plant engineering software. This offer will be open to qualifying organisations visiting Sustainability Live. Many other organisations will be showing new innovations such as: the European Bioenergy Research Institute, ERG (Air Pollution Control), Weltec Biopower, GEA Searle, R.C.P SA and untha uK.

Environment & Energy AwardsThe well-established Environment and Energy Awards celebrating excellence and innovation from businesses and technology providers in the market place will take place once again during Sustainability Live. The black tie dinner which was a sell-out last year, returns on the first night of the event, Tuesday 16th April, at the National Motorcycle Museum.

There are 15 different categories ranging from the ESTA Energy Manager of the Year and the Energy Supplier Customer Service Award, through to the Outstanding Contribution to the Energy Industry Award and the Energy Product/Service Award sponsored by the Energy Institute.

Amongst the new categories that have been added for 2013 are the Innovative Energy-Efficient Project Award and Utility Supplier of the Year.

Judging is carried out by a carefully selected panel of industry experts, who, based on the judging criteria for each category, select the shortlisted entrants and ultimately the category winners.

To book your seat please go to: http://www.sustainabilitylive.com/tablebooking

There promises to be plenty on offer, making Sustainability Live a must-attend event for all professionals across the energy, water and energy from waste industries looking to network with like-minded individuals and source the latest product and services information to keep their organisation at the leading edge of innovation. ■

For up-to-date show news, latest speaker information and details on how to exhibit or to register for free visitor entry, visit www.sustainabilitylive.com



A Case for Environmental Education

Ensuring that everyone gets a comprehensive education in the environment is most vital in schools, however this has become increasingly difficult. Environmental education is no longer included in the school curriculum, local authority grants for outdoor learning trips have been drastically cut back, and there has been a sharp rise in community schools converting into academies (over half either have or plan to), which frees schools from the constraints of the national curriculum, but makes the task of ensuring all pupils have the right to environmental education almost impossible.

Perhaps most beneficial for school children of all ages are field trips to nature reserves, forests and outdoor learning centres, where they can learn first-hand from nature. Many kids brought up in poorer inner-city areas will seldom leave the surroundings they live in to experience nature, the outdoors, the countryside and forests. The lack of funding available and organisational difficulties associated with trips have made learning outside the classroom a rare and difficult occurrence, but it is essential in providing a well-rounded guide to nature for all pupils, particularly at primary school age.

For just under a year NAEE has been running the Hugh Kenrick Day scheme, which provides small grants to Birmingham schools to visit outdoor environmental centres for hands-on learning opportunities in the natural environment. Trips like this can be a real eye opener for students, who may learn about the environment and plant-life in their lessons, but may never otherwise see nature in this way, and it can help to make it real for them. Many of these schools are without significant outdoor spaces and away from green areas, which has been an unfortunate recent trend in many areas.

Children need to be introduced to various parts of the natural environment early in primary school, by looking at photographs, plants, growing seeds, and being introduced to ponds, animals and woodland. The information given to children about their environment at this age is the foundation for many of the values they will adopt in life.

In secondary schools environmental education cannot simply be consigned to PSHE or citizenship lessons, as important as they are, but must be an integral part of the wider curriculum. In food technology lessons, pupils need to be taught the journey of food from the field to the

supermarket shelf. In science lessons, environmental learning develops an understanding of biodiversity and the interactions between living organisms, as well as the problems associated with pollution and climate change. History lessons can be used to develop a sense of chronology, looking at the impacts of mankind over time, including the industrial revolution. In geography pupils can use skills to investigate the physical environment and human conditions, develop understanding of human activity on different scales and consider the use and misuse of resources. Looking at environmental texts and poetry in English and modern languages may be used to develop vocabulary and fluency. Religious education can encourage an awareness of the varying attitudes to wildlife and the environment by different religions. In maths lessons using the environment to develop an understanding of statistics. And in art and design by looking and interpreting nature to express feelings and emotions.

A curriculum review is planned for early 2013 and NAEE will be taking part in this to encourage environmental learning to be integrated into all parts of schooling. It is not clear yet whether proposals for replacing GCSEs with an English Baccalaureate will result in any changes to the state of environmental education, but it’s vital that any review of compulsory school qualifications take environmental learning into consideration.

For those who don’t continue in further and higher education, it is hoped that by having studied environmental education they will have developed an appreciation for the great outdoors and a conscience and understanding of their impact on the natural world, through work, leisure and how they bring up the next generation. For those who do, tertiary institutions offer

There is ever increasing recognition that ecological understanding is an important factor for the survival of humankind. The way we develop our towns and homes, farm our crops, manage our waste, generate our energy and ensure access to water sanitation all require at least some knowledge of nature and our impact on the environment. Widening understanding means that environmental education must be established as an integral part of the education system at all levels. Contact with animals, nature and plants, especially for children living in urban areas, has a fundamental meaning for the development of positive attitudes, which will help build environmental awareness as children grow older.

Jonf728

EDuCATION

Professor William Scott, President National Association for Environmental Education


http://www.naee.org.uk/ [email protected]


a much greater level of control on one’s own education. In our universities there are three key areas in which environmental education is or ought to be a significant part.

Firstly in university courses, where aspects of conservation and environmentalism are now included in a huge part of people’s study. Dedicated modules and courses are now available in green business, environmental engineering and architecture, all sciences and increasingly in the arts. A 2011 study by the National Union of Students showed that over two-thirds of undergraduate students believe that sustainability should be covered by their university, and some 96% of students have an expectation that they be involved in sustainability in some way during their careers.

Secondly, self-organised student groups and societies are among the most useful groups in providing environmental education through awareness-raising campaigns and activities. In few other circumstances will people get to learn to grow their own fruit and veg, go on orienteering and nature trips, green their campus all at the same time at minimal cost. Our friends are our assets and we learn from each other and our experiences.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is educating future educators how to teach environmental education and the importance of doing so. Newly-qualified teachers need to bring enthusiasm to their roles, and with greater control over the content of their lessons it’s more important than ever for PGCE courses to include comprehensive training in environmental education.

Learning is something we do throughout our lives, and a child’s enthusiasm for nature will resonate with their parents and other adults they come across. Already, adults are being forced to make lifestyle changes because of climate change and this will only intensify as accelerated global development puts strain on natural resources. Technology has advanced at an incredible rate and solutions to environmental problems are already being

sought through it. However it cannot be relied upon if generation after generation leave the education system without a basic understanding of the environment, and all technology needs people behind it to function.

2013 is the United Nation’s Year of Water Conservation and as water is arguably Earth’s most precious natural resource, the water cycle is one of the most vital but least understood natural cycles we have. Let’s hope schools use this year as an opportunity to creatively raise awareness of the process involved in getting clean drinking water into our homes, resisting the pollution of our rivers and understanding its use in food production and keeping soil arable, as well as the strain on sanitation resources and lack of access to water in the developing world.

For what ultimate purpose? So that we all can truly understand the problems facing humankind in our use of a finite planet and its limited resources. Action comes through understanding, and only through that understanding will the decisions made be necessary for appropriate use of land and resources necessary to provide for that quality of life which humanity demands.

The National Association for Environmental Education (NAEE) has, for over fifty years, provided support for educators and education professionals to supply and deliver all aspects of environmental education across all levels of the curriculum. We produce a quarterly journal Environmental Education, which is available to members.

Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library

A curriculum review is planned for early 2013 and NAEE will be taking part in this to encourage environmental learning to be integrated into all parts of schooling

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sSomerset company fined for polluting stream with waste from anaerobic digestion plant

The operators of one of the UK’s largest anaerobic digestion plants have been ordered to pay almost £30,000 in fines and costs for polluting a Somerset stream with liquid waste in a case brought by the Environment Agency.

The liquid, known as digestate, escaped from a storage lagoon at Swang Farm, Cannington near Bridgwater where the defendants, Cannington Enterprises Ltd, operate an anaerobic digester producing electricity and digestate for spreading on farmland as a fertiliser.Electricity generated at the plant is sold to the Grid and is also used at the site.

Oil leak polluted nearly four kilometres of River Lark

Suffolk malt producer, Pauls Malt Ltd, has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £6,475 for causing oil pollution to the River Lark.

Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court heard today (Thursday) that gas fuel oil escaped from a tank at Pauls Malt’s premises on Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds. The oil entered the River Lark via a surface water outfall, polluting the river and killing dozens of fish.Mrs Corfield, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, explained that a secondary metal oil tank on site was surrounded by a brick bund. A pipe passed through the bund wall and ended approximately one metre from a surface water drain. The joint between the bund wall and the pipe was not effectively sealed and oil had escaped and entered the drain which led to the River Lark.

Suspended prison for asbestos offences

Two waste operators running an illegal site and a driver have been given suspended prison sentences after the Environment Agency found that asbestos had been fly-tipped around Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent.

A1 Bins and Waste Ltd’s director David John Tuffen and manager Nigel Lee Hickman both pleaded guilty to running an illegal site at Towerfields Business Park in Benfleet, where Environment Agency officers found 72 large skips full of asbestos waste.The driver, Moses Benjamin Brede, pleaded guilty to dumping five loads of waste asbestos.

Tuffen was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work. Hickman was given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

Brede was sentenced to 12 months prison for each of five offences to run concurrently and suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay £500 contribution towards costs.

Recycling company fined for waste tyre offences

A recycling company has today been ordered to pay £27,244 in fines and costs for illegally storing almost 100,000 waste tyres at a warehouse in East Devon.

The case was brought by the Environment Agency.

Devon-based Recycled Construction Systems Ltd had previously been found guilty at Exeter Crown Court of illegally depositing and storing 96,000 waste tyres at Westerhope Units, Dunkeswell. The company was one of several defendants in the South West’s largest ever waste crime investigation.

At a sentencing hearing today Judge Philip Wassall described it as a ‘serious offence’ involving a very large number of tyres. ‘The law is there for a reason and the Environment Agency had a duty to investigate,’ he said. The company, which is no longer trading, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £26,244 costs.

A former partner in RCS, Tom Dunn, of Cutsey, Taunton, was given a 2 year Conditional Discharge and ordered to pay £5,400 costs after being found guilty, at the earlier trial, of illegally exporting thousands of waste tyres to Vietnam.

At the sentencing hearing Judge Wassall, said Dunn had ‘chanced it and been caught out’ when he decided to flout Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations and export waste tyres to Vietnam.

Darlington man to be banned from transporting waste

Tony Leigh Shepherd, who operated at Hackworth Industrial Park, Shildon, is to be banned from carrying waste as part of his business operations following a criminal conviction for waste crime offences. The Environment Agency this month issued a notice informing him that his waste carrier’s licence is to be revoked. The revocation means that, from 9 March, Mr Shepherd can no longer transport waste as part of his business activities. Mr Shepherd was convicted of waste offences last year. He had been running a waste transfer site at the industrial park without an appropriate environmental permit. An investigation by the Environment Agency led to him being convicted of an offence by Teesside Crown Court.

Prison sentence for ‘cantankerous’ land owner

Land owner Roger Frederick Phipps has been sentenced to 8months imprisonment and ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work for allowing an illegal waste site to be run on his farm for years.

He was also fined £15,000 for breaching two planning enforcement notices.

The prison sentence was suspended for 2 years and Phipps has been ordered to remove the waste from the farm in four stages by 30 Jan 2014. He was also told to pay a contribution of £20,000 towards prosecution costs.

Michelins Farm, Rayleigh did not have a waste permit nor planning permission to operate the site, Chelmsford Crown Court heard today (Tues).

The site was run without an environmental permit from April 2008-11.

Mr Mark Watson, prosecuting for the Environment Agency and Rochford District Council, said two enforcement notices had been served by the council on Phipps in 2002 for breaches of planning control at Michelins Farm.

Illegal waste storage caused swarms of flies

An illegal waste operator was fined a total of £13,500 and ordered to pay full costs of £5,795 for running a waste site without an environmental permit.

Coolprice Holdings Ltd and its sole director, Mark Walter Cooling, were illegally depositing and storing waste plastics and ‘refuse derived fuel’ (RDF) on land at Mill Lane in Brigg, North Lincolnshire.Scunthorpe Magistrates’ Court heard that between January and May 2012 Coolprice Holdings deposited significant amounts of plastic waste and RDF on the site. There was approximately 4000m3 of waste inside a building on-site as well as a large number of bales of waste stored outside.

Mrs Anne-Lise McDonald, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court that the waste had attracted swarms of flies.

On one visit, Environment Agency officers could not inspect the building properly due to the number of flies. Local residents had complained about the flies which led to the local council serving an abatement notice for a statutory nuisance.

Severn Trent Water Ltd fined for breaching Environmental Permit

Severn Trent Water Ltd pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates’ Court to one charge of breaching the condition of an environmental permit.

The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £3878.36 in costs, along with a £15 victim surcharge.

The charge was brought by the Environment Agency under Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010.


making aISO 14001

With over 267,000 companies now certified - ISO14001 is now the world’s most successful environmental management standard. The process of revising this international standard provides a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to catalyse a step-change in voluntary approaches to environmental responsibility globally. The environment, and the services that it provides, is shaping the future of organisations and society. UK Government research shows that UK companies can save £23bn per annum from no cost/ low cost resource efficiency measures. Using an environmental management system such as ISO 14001 enables companies to maximise these savings and manage growing pressures on the environment. Increasing pressures on the environment from pollution, over-consumption of resources, degradation of eco-systems and biodiversity, compounded by a growing world population with greater aspiration, pose a serious risk to future prosperity.

The way that organisations and broader society manage the risks, dependencies and interface with the environment is critical, not only to reduce the impacts they have on the environment but also to create new opportunities for development and growth. The response needs to be comprehensive, credible, evidence-based and sustained over the long term and will require new skills and competencies in organisations, together with standards and systems that provide assurance to management, investors and society.

ISO14001 enabling businesses to lead It’s against this backdrop that international efforts have been made to address global environmental challenges. The 2012 Rio+20 Earth Summit and the ongoing attempts by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to establish a comprehensive, legally binding agreement to limit global climate change, invariably promise so much yet have consistently failed to meet hopes and expectations.

Yet at the same time, businesses around the world are implementing and embedding environmental management systems that meet the requirements of the International EMS standard, ISO 14001, to voluntary improve their environmental performance. EMS is rightly being portrayed as an effective tool to support the transition to a green and sustainable economy - one of the core outcomes focussing the attention of the UN. Improved resource and energy efficiency, better management of compliance, reduced environmental risks - are all key features of effective implementation of ISO 14001 and are the foundation of a low carbon, resource efficient and sustainable economy.

The scale of engagement is significant – according to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) over 267,000 organisations in 148 countries are certified to ISO 14001 – a 6% annual increase in participation in 2011 at a time when economies are under pressure. While the country with the most certificates is China (over 80,000), the UK lies in fifth place in the league table with over 15,000 certificates. The distribution isn’t just confined to the Western developed world – while Europe has over 106,000 certified organisations, East Asia and the Pacific have over 137,000 participants. The sector spread is also broad – and while manufacturing leads the way with 43% of certified organisations, there are good numbers of participants across all sectors, including the public sector. ►

Martin Baxter, Executive Director - Policy, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment

global environmentaldifference


Growing environmental challengesIncreasingly, organisations are managing the impacts they have on the environment and how the environment will shape and constrain their ability to build success over the long-term. The impacts extend far beyond direct operational footprints, stretching back into supply chains and into the way their products and services are used, influencing the way that services are provided and products are designed, manufactured, distributed, consumed, used and disposed of by consumers and society. Such a life-cycle perspective is vital, to ensure that in tackling issues in one part of the system, environmental burdens aren’t inadvertently shifted elsewhere.

As the data from ISO shows, more and more organisations around the world are implementing environmental management systems to ensure compliance and achieve and demonstrate sound environmental performance.

Environmental ChangeWith the changing impact of the environment and greater expectations from society, environmental management needs to be built into the fabric of an organisation’s strategy and decision making. At a time of increasing public scrutiny on the way that organisations operate, transparency, accountability, credibility and responsibility have to become the watchwords of how organisations embed environmental governance into their overall management. This is reinforced with the forthcoming introduction of mandatory GHG reporting, together with changes to the Companies Act 2006 which place greater emphasis on environmental disclosure. Whether it’s cutting costs to improve profitability, reputational risks to brand, the need to demonstrate compliance, reporting to investors and shareholders, or the social ‘licence to operate’ – never before have the drivers come together to make the case for environment to be integrated into all levels of organisational decision making.

updating the Standard to enable business to manage growing environmental challengesISO 14001 is currently being revised, to ensure that it meets the requirements of business, helps them reduce their environmental impacts and enhance competitiveness. International standards are reviewed on a five-year basis, and to help inform the review an international study group was formed to examine future EMS challenges. The group’s report in 2010 set out 24 recommendations to be considered as part of the review of ISO 14001.

Whereas the current focus of ISO 14001 has largely been about organisations managing their impact on the environment, as the current UK floods have demonstrated, there’s a real need for companies to build resilience in responding to external environmental risks. There’s also much greater recognition of the need to engage supply chains and integrate environmental considerations into product development processes as this can lead to significant improvements

The revision to 14001 needs to be considered in this broad economic and environmental context - particularly as the new standard isn’t expected (on the current timeline) to be published until 2015 and in all probability will be around until the mid-2020’s. The economic issues are pretty straightforward - ISO 14001 has to help organisations to cut costs, improve productivity, capitalise on business opportunities, maintain and enhance brand and reputation, and reduce business risks. Of course, if it didn’t support organisations achieving this now, it wouldn’t have achieved the take-up it has.

However, the environmental context is changing, as is the way the businesses are viewing the way that the environment can impact on their ability to create long-term value. More and more organisations are seeing the benefits of taking a longer-term perspective on the way that the environment will shape and influence their future success. So as we embarked on the revision of ISO 14001, while there was a need to ensure that we ‘fix’ any problems with the current version of the standard, it’s essential to have an eye to the environmental issues that businesses will be facing in 2020 and beyond.

In preparation for participating in the revision process, it’s been important to ensure engagement with as many users as possible – after all, whatever happens we must ensure a standard that organisations can use! With my IEMA colleagues, we ran 16 workshops throughout the UK with over 400 participants - a real ‘bottom-up’ process of listening to practitioners about what works well and what needs to be improved. This was followed up with a survey - over 1600 people completed the questionnaire - helping to ensure that we were fully taking on board the views of a broad and representative number of businesses. This level of interaction provided us with fantastic insights, and the confidence that we’re focussing on the key issues or relevance to business and the environment.

From the feedback there was no doubt that practitioners find the current version of ISO 14001 to be a flexible and effective standard - it can be applied to many sizes and types of organisation across all sectors. Broadly there are 3 main areas where the revision of ISO 14001 is currently being looked at which we explored in our survey.

Firstly, there’s a strong view (95% respondents) that there needs to be a much better link between environment and organisation’s strategic decision making processes. The new high-level structure for management systems standards adopted by ISO is being used as the basis for the revision of ISO14001 - with the new section on strategic context providing a good way to address this issue.

Secondly, the current focus of ISO 14001 is largely about managing and improving the impacts of an organisation on the environment. Increasingly, organisations are having to manage the impact of a changing environment on the organisation - for example adapting to climate change and issues around resource security and availability. There is strong support (86% of survey respondents) for ISO 14001 to more explicitly support this approach, particularly as it’s a key part of enhancing business resilience.

Finally there is widespread recognition that taking a holistic environmental perspective across the whole value chain helps to identify business and environmental improvements that might not otherwise be obvious. 84% of respondents to the survey believe that ISO 14001 should place greater emphasis on managing impacts across the whole life-cycle of products and their supply chains.

Ensuring that the content of the revised ISO 14001 captures the essential elements of an effective EMS for the 2020’s is important. The real challenge, however, will be in implementation - both internally in organisations and externally in terms of 3rd party auditors.....these will be the next issues we will seek to improve. ■

Martin Baxter is IEMA’s Executive Director - Policy at the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). He is Head of the UK Delegation to ISO on Environmental Management Standardisation and is currently part of the International working group that is re-writing ISO 14001.

[email protected]



Product Guide

Quantitech workshop will be one of your ‘five-a-day’Every attendee at Quantitech’s gas analysis workshop at AQE 2013 will receive a free orange.The purpose of the complimentary citrus refreshment will be revealed during the workshop, which will take place from 12-12.30 on Thursday 14th March in Workshop Room 1. Entitled ‘FTIR analysis for complex gas mixtures – real world examples of trace gas analysis in ambient air and stack emissions’ the workshop will demonstrate FTIR’s ability to measure almost any gas in a multitude of applications.

AQE 2013, the Air Quality and Emissions show (formerly ‘MCERTS’) will take place in Telford, UK, on 13th and14th March. Parking, refreshments, lunch and access to the Exhibition and Workshops, are all free to those that pre-register at www.AQEShow.com.

Quantitech will also run a further presentation entitled ‘Methods for sampling emissions of Dioxins, Particulates, Mercury and Heavy metals’ from 11-11.30 on Wednesday 13th March, also in Workshop Room 1.

Two smart ways to fight dust pollution

DF Ecology have revealed their latest innovations, the Smart Dustfighter and the Mini Dustfighter

The Smart Dustfighter is designed to provide outside workers with safe protection from many different kinds of airborne contaminates. It is ideally suited for contractors working with dust producing equipment, such as disc cutters, wall chasers and similar machines. The Smart Dustfighter produces a fine mist of water through a series of high-pressure jets. The mist is then propelled onto the site by a powerful fan, rendering the area free from unhealthy and hazardous material. Similar in size to a mini cement mixer, the Smart Dustfighter operates from ordinary mains power, 230V 50 Hz 2.2kW, with an 110v version available for UK construction sites.

The Mini-Dustfighter has been developed to help give contractors safe protection from unpleasant odours and airborne contaminates whilst working indoors. The Mini-Dustfighter is a simple, portable product ideally suited for the rental industry and their clients who undertake shop fitting, refurbishment and light demolition contracts. The machine is also a handy tool when carrying out recycling processes and waste treatment. The Mini-Dustfighter operates from ordinary, 230 volt, mains power and delivers a maximum throw of up to 8-metre from its integral 70-litre water tank. It will run continuously for a useful 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Tower Light – VT-Hybrid Battery Hybrid Lighting Tower – Environmentally conscious lighting ready to be un-veiled at Bauma With the world’s environmental organisations continuing to demand severe reductions in carbon footprints, pollution and energy usage, Tower Light engineers actively re-searched new processes that will provide safe lighting levels and offer serious cost benefits for the consumer, whilst working towards saving vital natural resources. Work-ing closely with world-wide rental firms, trade associations and environmental agen-cies, Tower Light has developed the VT-Hybrid lighting tower - a lighting unit that utilises modern LED lighting with advanced battery power systems.

The Tower Light VT-Hybrid features a hybrid battery/diesel system with auto charging technology. The set runs on 90% battery power and 10% fuel. The battery is automati-cally recharged via a low battery monitor system through the integral 5.0kVA generator, combining 7-hours battery power with 7-hours generator usage. Tower Light has con-figured the VT-Hybrid’s batteries so that they can also be recharged via ordinary mains power. The battery has 4000 hours life and the generator engine consumes just 0.5 litres per hour when in use - fuel usage is so low that the set can run for over 500 hours on one tank of fuel. The fuel tank is fully bunded against leakage so environmental concerns about ground contamination are completely avoided.


HWM Adds New Alarm Response and Remote Access Features to Wireless DataloggersHWM has recently introduced innovative improvements to its MultiLog and LX telemetry data loggers that offer new benefits to users, particularly with regard to remote maintenance, programming and alarm response. Once installed, the devices do not need to be physically accessed again for up to 5 years, but can still have settings changed and software updated through their integrated telemetry. The two-way communication feature enables customers to update and upgrade their dataloggers remotely. This removes the requirement for expensive and time consuming site visits, and effectively makes the loggers “future proof” by ensuring that customers receive the immediate benefit of any new functionality. HWM has also introduced an innovative accelerated dial-in feature that responds to an alarm condition. When an alarm is triggered, the logger automatically begins to transmit data more frequently to enable a more detailed analysis of the situation. Alerts can be sent to up to 16 specified telephone numbers, which enables prompt and effective action to be taken. This intelligent alarm response can be particularly useful when, for example, the logger is connected to a SonicSens ultrasonic level measurement device over an open channel or sewer overflow. As levels rise above the alarm threshold, the increased data transmission rate will assist the response team in monitoring the rate of increase and potential flood risk during the incident. When the level falls below the alarm trigger threshold, the logger automatically returns to its normal dial-in parameters, as set by the user.

Three into One Does Go! Triple Lid Recycling Bin Leafield Environmental has launched a new triple lid option for its successful Meridian Envirobin.The initial concept for the unique recycling bin came from a collaboration between Leafield Environmental and the University of Greenwich. The Meridian 110 litre Envirobin was first designed to have a 70/30 split lid with the larger aperture being for mixed recyclable waste that would encourage students to think twice before choosing the landfill option.

The brief also required a slim bin with a flat back that could be placed against a wall in corridors without causing obstruction, but for situations where space is even more restricted, the need for three separate receptacles within the same bin became evident.

The part lids lock together and are WRAP colour compliant. Each waste stream is further identified by labelling and clear graphics on an integral poster. Three waste bags fit neatly into the bin, each secured separately with a wire sack holder.

Quantitech publishes Hydrogen monitoring videosThe instrumentation company Quantitech has added a range of new videos to its YouTube channel demonstrating the different applications for its unique hydrogen monitoring technology.There are five short videos: the first explains the technology behind the H2scan solid-state sensors; the second summarises the product range and the final three explain the application for the technology in 1) a portable instrument for surveying work, 2) an in-line continuous process monitor and 3) an area monitor for health and safety applications.Quantitech first introduced the H2scan hydrogen specific monitoring technology to the UK market almost 5 years ago and in that time, the technology has found application in health and safety, and process control applications including syngas production, hydrocarbon processing, lead acid battery monitoring, chlorine manufacture, nuclear power/waste, chrome plating, research, semiconductor and electronics manufacture, abatement exhausts, transformer oil, fuel cell technologies and hydrogen production.Please scan the QRCODE to link directly to the Quantitech YouTube channel.

SEAL Analytical expands uS manufacture

The laboratory instrument manufacturer SEAL Analytical has transferred the production of its market leading automated discrete analyzers, the AQ1 and AQ2, to the company’s facility in Mequon, USA. The move follows the acquisition of a block digestion business from Aim Lab Automation Technologies Pty Ltd.

The AQ1 and AQ2 instruments automatically test multiple samples in discrete reaction vessels. Following internationally recognised standard methods such as USEPA, ASTM, ISO, these instruments are able to analyse a wide variety of parameters including alkalinity, ammonia, chloride, cyanides, nitrate/nitrite, nitrite, phenolics, ortho phosphate, total phosphorus, silicate, sulfate and total Kjeldahl nitrogen.

www.seal-analytical.com + For More Information


CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY ONEPaste technology offers an environmental friendly

way to dispose of tailings from mining industry

Outotec is one of the few companies in the world that can offer paste thickening solutions to the mineral industries in one package. Paste technology means that instead of pumping untreated tailings from the concentrator into tailing ponds, the sand is dewatered to a point when it does not segregate as deposit.

Outotec’s expertise regarding paste technology springs from the company’s long experience of minerals and metals processing technology.

“Paste technology is now widely acknowledged and at the moment Outotec has ongoing paste projects all over the world”, says Anders Nyström, Technology Sales Manager of Paste and Backfill Solutions at Outotec. “Using paste technology the tailings form a conical pile and do not need big ponds to be stored in. This means that the disposal area is much smaller compared to conventional tailing ponds and the danger of leakage is minimal”, he explains.

Anders Nyström got in touch with paste technology when he was leading a project aiming at minimizing the area needed for tailings disposal at a mine in Canada in 2002.

“The mine was not allowed to extend the tailing ponds but could use the existing tailing pond by placing the paste tailings on top of the existing tailings. This was possible only by using paste technology.

Especially for dry areasAnders Nyström says that the mining industry faces growing challenges globally on how to use water efficiently, how to recover and recirculate water and how to reduce the areas needed for tailings storage.

“That’s why the market for new sustainable solutions for tailings treatment is growing”, he says. “Since the water from the tailings is efficiently recovered using paste technology, the water can be used over and over again. This makes the technology attractive especially in dry regions.”

He also points out that paste technology makes it much easier to restore the landscape in a safe way after a mine is closed.

“We are now investigating the possibility with adding fertilizers and seed to the tailings through the paste plant some time before the mine will be closed down. This way the restoration process needs very little extra work. By using this method the closure process can be started in good time, saving time and money and in an environmental way improving the closure process.”

Stabilizing mined out areasWith the recent acquisition of the Australian company Backfill Specialists, Outotec can now offer even more comprehensive tailings treatment solutions to the mining industry worldwide.

In addition to surface paste disposal the paste can also be mixed with binders and used to stabilize mines © Outotec

“Paste technology is now widely acknowledged and at the moment

Outotec has ongoing paste projects all over the world”


“Paste backfill is mainly used to stabilize underground excavations”, says Mathew Revell, a leading international expert regarding backfill solutions and head of Outotec’s Paste and Backfill Solutions business. “It means that a mix of paste and cement is pumped into previously mined stopes to form a rock solid material.”

The paste backfill supports for example the walls of adjacent adits as mining progresses.

“This way the mine can be utilized to a maximum since it makes it possible to mine all of the ore deposit”, Mathew Revell explains. “The paste backfill can also serve as a working platform in a mine. In short, by using paste backfill the mines can be utilized more efficiently and above all, safely.”

Since the cost of the binding material is essential for the competitiveness of paste backfilling, Outotec’s expertise in optimizing the consistence of the paste can be crucial.

“The mix variables must always be optimized to provide a backfill material that exactly meets the demands of the individual project”, Mathew Revell says. “With this knowledge accessible it is possible for us to develop more efficient and more cost effective backfilling solutions than ever before.” ■

Paste technology is a modern way to handle and store tailings from mine operations in an environmentally sound way © Outotec

www.outotec.com



CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY TWOsolar Air heating technology from CA

Group delivers significant results for M&S

According to the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), approximately 40% of the UK’s energy demand results from the heating of offices, factories and warehouse facilities. With increasing pressure on businesses to become more energy efficient – both financially and environmentally – effectively addressing this ‘space heating’ requirement through the use of renewable technologies has become a priority.

To that end many companies are looking towards highly efficient, holistic heating solutions, which incorporate established renewable technologies, as part of their sustainable building strategy.

When retail giant, Marks & Spencer, was planning its latest distribution centre in Castle Donington, the company’s Plan A initiative was the driving force in determining how the building would run with maximum efficiency.

The 80,000m2 carbon-neutral facility, which is set to become the UK’s largest dedicated e-commerce warehouse - distributing 2 million clothing and home products a week direct to customers - features an enormous south facing elevation. This fact made it a prime candidate for the SolarWall®, Transpired Solar Collector (TSC) technology from building envelope specialist CA Group.

Designed for the specific purpose of heating large spaces, active solar technologies such as the Transpired Solar Collector (TSC) can transform the fabric of a building’s southerly elevation into a giant solar collector by capturing the sun’s energy which is then used to pre-heat fresh, outside air before it is drawn into the building’s heating system, considerably reducing the building’s reliance on fossil fuels.

The SolarWall® which CA Group has installed for Marks & Spencer in Castle Donington is the largest example on a single building in the world. Measuring almost 4,500m² - the equivalent of more than 16 tennis courts - it is expected to reduce the building’s heating requirement by somewhere in the region of 30%, by generating more than 1,135,000kWh and saving over 256t of CO2 per annum.

“Approximately 40% of the UK’s energy demand results from the heating of offices, factories and

warehouse facilities” |148| ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Solar air heating is easy to install, 100% renewable and has the effect of dramatically reducing a building’s overall heating requirement, providing significant savings in energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Through the successful adoption of the SolarWall® technology by household names, including Jaguar Land Rover, Royal Mail, Tesco and now Marks & Spencer, the system is fast gaining a reputation as the most efficient solar technology on the market. The SolarWall® technology has been identified as having the lowest capital cost, highest known efficiency (up to 80%) and quickest return on investment of any active solar technology currently available – with an estimated payback period as low as 3 years.

In addition to the use of CA Group’s TSC technology, a number of other sustainable measures were adopted in the delivery of the project for Marks & Spencer at Castle Donington.

CA Group’s Twin-Therm® built up roof and wall system was selected due to the fact that it provides a fully-walkable cost effective solution which offers a high degree of flexibility and exceptional air tightness levels. Twin-Therm® is delivered as a carbon neutral envelope and uses man-made mineral fibre insulation, which is non-flammable and complies with UNEP’s (United Nations Environmental Programme) environmental recommendations against the use of CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs or VOCs.

The exterior of the building features pre-finished steel, which has been optimised to provide maximum corrosion resistance and comes with a 25-year guarantee.

Adopting a long-term view enabled the project team to ensure that the benefits would continue to resonate even after the building reaches the end of its useful life, through the use of materials which do not deliver any unforeseen disposal costs for the owner – a significant problem facing many building owners today.

The new distribution centre has been rated Excellent by BREEAM and recognised with an EPC A certification. It is set to open later this year.

www.cagroupltd.co.uk


■


CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY THREEAlumasc Meets Environmental Criteria

At EcoCampus, hamilton International Park

Alumasc’s ZinCo green roof system and Hydrotech structural waterproofing were key elements in the EcoCampus at Hamilton International Park, a uniquely sustainable business community located south east of Glasgow.

Built by Balfour Beatty, the EcoCampus is designed to provide a sustainable foundation delivering high performance buildings with EPC & BREEAM ‘Carbon Neutral’ & ‘Excellent’ Status. The EcoCampus accommodates businesses within three Grade A carbon neutral buildings totalling 223,800 square feet.

The ZinCo intensive green roof system specified on the scheme features planter zones, small plants, shrubs and bushes, and was an important part of the development’s environmental focus. Briggs Amasco installed the green roof over approximately 7,500m2 of Alumasc’s Hydrotech MM6125 structural waterproofing.

Client, HFD Group, was influential in the specification of Hydrotech as they had used ZinCo green roofs on other parts of the Park and were keen to achieve a high performance waterproofing solution for the podium car park.

From the outset, Alumasc worked closely with HFD and project architect Mosaic Architecture & Design who had also worked with Hydrotech previously and were aware of its benefits. The roof also features Alumasc’s Harmer AV Roof Outlets.

Hydrotech is the first choice for zero falls waterproofing on inverted green roofs and hard landscaped podium structures in new build applications. It is manufactured using 10% post-consumer recycled material, is BBA accredited and has European Technical Approval ETA-05/0152. Hydrotech is designed to last for the lifetime of the structure and is available with a choice of warranties.

The green roof installed at the EcoCampus provides recreational space for people and a rich habitat for wildlife, as well as facilitating reduced water run-off and lower noise levels. The greater substrate depth of the intensive roof also provides particularly good insulation properties. Other benefits include increased life expectancy of the roof, lower carbon emissions and improved climatic environment.

ZinCo Intensive green roofs replicate ground based landscaping for recreational use and are suitable for new build schemes with roof and podium decks. They offer the benefits of a small urban park and support a wide range of plants, trees and shrubs, having a typical substrate depth that ranges from 150-1500mm.

For further details on Hydrotech MM6125 structural waterproofing and ZinCo green roof systems visit: www.alumascwaterproofing.co.uk


“The greater substrate depth of the intensive roof also

provides particularly good insulation properties”


CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY FOURPet foods facility achieves less than two year payback with lEd lighting

The ChallengeCalifornia-based Diamond Pet Foods new 28,000m2 manufacturing facility posed a number of lighting challenges. First, the company needed an ultra-energy-efficient system to reduce consumption and fully leverage the benefits of its solar system. Second, they required lighting fixtures that would offer safety and reliability amid the high-vibration and dusty conditions. Ambient heat and humidity was also an issue, driving a need for lighting that would safely withstand up to 49°C and high humidity. With many hard-to-reach and low-clearance areas near process equipment, Diamond also needed dependable fixtures that offer longevity, low maintenance and ease of installation.Finally, from an economic perspective, the company required a payback period on the project of less than two years in order to gain corporate approval.

The SolutionDiamond began with a trial of 16 High Bay LEDs from Dialight, the innovation leader in industrial and hazardous location LED lighting, before giving the green light to outfit the entire facility with 500+ high-efficiency Dialight LED fixtures.

The ResultsThe low profile of the Dialight LED fixtures enabled mounting in areas that would have been difficult with other bulky conventional lighting fixtures, and the company can expect to use at least 50% less energy compared to other options.

Not only did the Dialight products offer the rugged durability Diamond required, but each fixture is also backed by Dialight’s 5-year continuous performance warranty. Based on performance history, Diamond will likely enjoy up to a decade of reliable illumination, for a truly maintenance-free solution that adds to the significant energy savings. As a result of the energy and maintenance savings, the company easily hit its goal of less than two year pay back.

Installation Snapshot:

• 300,000 sq. ft. facility

• < 2 year payback

• 24/7 lighting indoor, 12/7 lighting outdoor on photocell

• 538 LED fixtures installed

• Energy rate - $0.136/kWh

• Energy savings: at least 50%

• Up to 10 years of zero maintenanceEmployees noted a significant difference in the bright white exterior lighting at the Diamond Pet Foods plant compared to the orange glow of the high-pressure sodium fixtures at the power generation facility next door


CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY FIVEsolar system at the height of 111 meters

Austrian technology brings energy efficiency to the tallest building in the Czech Republic

The AZ tower injects energy into the 400,000-inhabitant city of Brno in the Czech Republic. The soon-to-be tallest building in the Czech Republic will be completed in May 2013 and does not only impress with its unique shape and colour, but also contributes Austrian technology for renewable energy production on its top. A TiSUN solar system will heat the skyscraper’s swimming pool at the height of more than 100 meters with solar energy.

The AZ Tower is a project of superlatives – after its completion in May shops, offices and luxury apartments will be housed over 30 floors. Apart from its step-like structure suspended façade, a striking feature of this unique architectural project will be the colour of the building. Like a giant stretching his hands out towards the clouds, the terracotta and white coloured building rises into the sun. The sun as an energy source plays a crucial role in this energy efficient building project. A 12m² TiSUN collector area heats the pool of the luxury apartments on the upper 6 floors of the building with environmentally friendly solar energy. The solar thermal system was planned by the solar expert TiSUN and installed by Apex Euro s.r.o.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with our Austrian technology in this special low-energy project,” explains TiSUN CEO Robin M. Welling. In addition to the solar thermal system, a heat pump and a photovoltaic solar panel on the façade provide renewable energy for the skyscraper.

The Austrian solar expert TiSUN has had experience with the planning and implementation of solar projects for high-rise buildings in the Czech Republic. Since 2009, a 176m² collector array supplies energy for hot water for the nursing home in the Czech Republic in Ostrava-Marianske. The façade currently represents the largest façade collector surface area in the Czech Republic.

TiSUN has been developing, producing and selling complete systems for the utilisation of solar heating energy for over two decades. The solar systems provide 100% independent, infinitely available, free solar energy for backup heating, water heating, process heat and cooling. Known as Europe’s solar heating specialist, TiSUN has an export quota of 83%. The company employs a workforce of 100 at the main location in Tyrol/Austria and 90 sales personnel in Europe. TiSUN products are available in 48 markets. All serially produced solar collectors feature multiple certifications. In addition to the Solar Keymark, which is valid across Europe, and the Austria Solar Seal of Quality, quality certifications from 5 other countries confirm the high standard of the products. The ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Test Certificate verifies that both product and service quality levels are especially high. Since 2010 the company has also been certified under the international environmental management standard ISO 14001.


CASE STuDIES

CASE STUDY SIXPioneering environment project to

give Adderbury lakes a sparkling future

Oxfordshire’s Adderbury Lakes is a much-loved local nature reserve, attracting both village walkers and photographers keen to capture the beauty of the setting in which specimen trees and wildlife such as kingfishers and herons grace the eighteenth-century landscaped pools and waterfalls. And after years of maintenance and management by dedicated volunteers, the Lakes face an important milestone in its history. An innovative de-silting process from industry leaders Ebsford Environmental Ltd has commenced which should secure the future of this precious local gem and become an exemplar for sensitive ecological management throughout the region.

Over the decades, leaf material falling into the lakes has resulted in an excessive build up of silt. Without specialist action, the tranquil pools could degenerate into bogs within five years. As silt dries it encourages weed growth, creating a surface that often looks firm enough to walk on, significantly reduces biodiversity and could be hazardously unstable.

The Adderbury Lakes Local Nature Reserve Management Committee (a sub-committee of the Adderbury Parish Council) is responsible for the management of the Lakes, which were purchased by the Council and designated a Nature Conservation Area with public access in 2003. The local community are involved in regular working parties and have been regularly updated and consulted through open village meetings. Preserving both the beauty of the site and the biodiversity and integrity of the surrounding area has remained paramount to the Committee, and the challenge of finding a long-term solution to preserve this compact, sensitive site, difficult to access with large machinery, has been a real concern.

Ebsford Environmental Ltd, a leading industry expert in the field of aquatic remediation renowned for specialising in difficult projects of this kind, have now offered a solution in the form of their specialist TRUXOR amphibious machines.

Lightweight, manoeuvrable and designed to work on or off water, the machines are capable of working in the tightest and most challenging of aquatic environments and ideal for a site where access is limited. Nick Hartley from Ebsford Environmental believes that the project will demonstrate that even the trickiest ecological areas can flourish for future generations using cutting-edge technology. “When approaching a project which is both of particular importance to a community but also to the local environment, it is crucial that the contractor is able to empathise with the client and can assess the needs of all parties involved before specifying a solution. On this project we were conscious of the years of hard work The Adderbury Lakes Local Nature Reserve Management Committee had already undertaken, and aware that we must respect their vision and deliver a system which gives them what they have pictured all along what has been a sometimes difficult road. We are passionate about all our clients, but in particular if we can give communities a usable and improved facility that will be in place for many years it becomes a source of immense satisfaction”, Nick Hartley comments.

The first stage in the process will be to lay NICO span (a geotextile material), forming aquatic fences for new wetlands around designated areas of the lake. These areas will then be filled with the dredged silt,which once dry will be planted with a mixture of native marginal vegetation, using a minimum of 16 species in differing sizes and colours. In the areas where silt is of a non-aquatic nature, a variety of native woodland wildflowers will also be planted. Although the removal of silt from a site is often the quickest solution, it can be both costly and environmentally damaging, so Ebsford’s more sensitive approach aims to simultaneously protect the delicate balance of the area, maximise limited local resources, and add to the bio-diversity of the lake.The work has been made possible with invaluable support from environmental advisers and funding from Viridor Credits. This is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which provides funding for community, heritage and biodiversity projects around the UK through the Landfill Communities Fund.

The need for the de-silting project is fully supported by the Environment Agency, and the Lakes Committee are enthusiastic about the project and the lasting value the work will create for nature lovers in the Adderbury area. As Chairman of both the Adderbury Parish Council and Lakes Committee, Diane Bratt is delighted with the start of a fresh new era for the Lakes. “It’s really exciting to see this project taking shape. The Lakes Committee have planned this for a long time and we hope to revitalise the Lakes area by increasing the biodiversity. We are all very enthusiastic about how this will add to the enjoyment of the Lakes for everyone who visits.”

[email protected]://www.adderburypc.co.uk/news http://ebsford.co.uk/



The bottom line is the planet is finite and we are heading for disaster. And there seems to be this belief that we can’t do much about it. In the last century, the population has never collectively got together and said ‘this is what we will do for this issue’. It must be possible.

If we don’t think there are going to be global problems, we’re deceiving ourselves. It’s impossible to tell how bad the disasters will be.

In my opinion, all countries should develop a population policy. A total of 70 countries are currently employing such a policy in one form or another. The defining common denominator is to make family planning and other reproductive health services freely available to everyone, empowering and encouraging their use, although without any kind of coercion.

I have seen how increasing numbers of elephants can devastate their environment until one year when the rains fail on the already over-grazed land, they die in their hundreds. But we are human beings and because of our intelligence and our ever-expanding skills and sophisticated technologies, we can avoid such brutalities. We have medicines that prevent our children from dying of disease. We have developed ways of growing increasing amounts of food. So now our destiny is in our hands.

To aid the situation, we have to break the taboo on the subject. Until it is broken there is no hope of the action we need. Wherever and whenever we speak of the environment, we should add a few words to ensure that the population element is not ignored. If you are a member of a relevant NGO, invite them to acknowledge it. ►

fAMOus lAsT WOrds

PopulationAll we seem to hear about these days is climate change, the ice caps melting - the fluctuating weather patterns that result. In short, the uncertain future we face. But the more serious problem - so serious in fact that most governments seem reluctant to even address it - is the issue of global population growth.

By 2050 there will be 15 billion people wandering around on the planet. Population numbers are exploding at an astounding rate.

So I ask you, where are we all going to go? Where are we going to live?

The pace of population growth is of detriment to our planet, and it’s undoubtedly our biggest concern. No matter what we do now, no matter what measures are put in place, there are going to be a billion more of us within the next decade.

We all want to feed ourselves, have homes, have cars and enjoy pleasant lives, but we’re staring into the abyss because the planet cannot sustain such gargantuan growth. This is the biggest danger. And actually, in the Western world, we show relative restraint and responsibility. The same cannot be said for Africa and Asia, where population is out of control. Can the technological world offer education in these areas? We can only hope it does.

For the time being though, it has been swept under the rug for another day, because economic matters are deemed more important. But, at some point, the conversation will need to happen. It’s interesting, because the Chancellor of the Exchequer talks about growth and so on, but you can’t grow indefinitely, infinitely. Our world cannot sustain such growth.

Sir David Attenborough


Climate changeOn a separate issue, climate change obviously remains a huge problem for the planet. The Earth is getting warmer year on year, considerably so, although it’s not a uniform increase either, which can complicate the issue somewhat. In the Arctic, the increases in temperature are happening very fast, but in the Antarctic places are getting much colder and this, I imagine, gives something for certain lobbyists to cling to. That way they can tell everyone there’s nothing to worry about.

The world is a big place - there are no uniform characteristics, so there are quirks and contradictions everywhere. But overall, the planet is getting much warmer, very quickly.

I have seen huge ice flows and icebergs dramatically decrease in size. We’ve lost several ice shelves from the poles; the evidence is there for all to see. And there is definitely more extreme weather about.

We are steaming towards disaster, at a faster rate than was ever anticipated. I hope some sort of paralleling solution can be found before long. And hopefully there will be one, as we have many talented, worthy, diligent individuals out there striving to make a difference, and I salute them all.

And there are real differences being made by people. One of the most startling, for me, has been the increase in numbers of the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. There are far more now than when we were first visiting the region a couple of decades ago. This sort of success is incredibly heart-warming, and it provokes others to believe they can do likewise, but we need more action, more focus on the planet, not the economy. That attitude needs to change if we’re to witness any drastic improvement.

Lost speciesIf I’m allowed to say dream and bring a species back from extinction, it would have to be the dinosaur, from the Jurassic era. I’m not sure which one I’d choose – maybe a great Brontosaur would be a good choice; certainly one of the big sauropods.

The Brontosaur was a huge land animal; not as big as a blue whale, but undoubtedly one of the biggest animals ever recorded on land. It would be pretty incredible to see one coming around the corner!

An environment free of human lifeIf I could erase humans permanently from an ecosystem, I would take them away from the Great Barrier Reef. It is an awe-inspiring place, and every time I’ve gone back, it has offered something bigger and better than the previous occasion. Apart from its fantastic appearance, the Great Barrier Reef is able to move in three dimensions, which is unlike any other similar species.

The sheer variety, the sheer beauty and abundance of the reef, was a massive personal revelation. It’s a wonder that simply cannot be missed.

But it’s incredibly fragile and already mass bleaching is showing us the effect the human population is having on it. So keeping humans away from the Great Barrier Reef would be my choice - I would isolate it completely and lock it within Mother Nature’s grasp. ■


Enviroment Industry Magazine Issue 24

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Transcript of Enviroment Industry Magazine Issue 24