This one day mid-term REBUS event at Hotel Indigo in Durham City on 30th January 2019 was attended by 50 delegates from local; regional and national organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors keen to reduce their carbon emissions and drive forward their low carbon strategies in particular with relation to buildings and place.
Speakers included:
- Jonathan Mullard, Local Energy Manager Strategy - Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (UK)
- Mark Joslyn, Sustainability Manager - Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK)
- Dr Charlotte Adams, Professor - Durham Energy Institute (Durham University)
- Chris Ashe, Director - European Institute for Innovation
- Jeremy Crooks, Head of Innovation - The Coal Authority (UK)
- Andrew Clark, Programme Lead Energy - North East Local Enterprise Partnership (UK)
- Maggie Bosanquet; Stephen McDonald; Rosalind Farrow; Rich Hurst – Durham County Council Low Carbon projects
- Cllr John Clare – Durham County Council Support Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration
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The conference was a stimulating mix of speakers, table discussions, and question and answer sessions where the delegates embraced the low carbon revolution and discussed ideas for how to move projects forward collaboratively.
It was a lively day which we hope will stimulate new partnerships in the region, across sectors and help to further reduce carbon emissions and costs.
Focused on:
- National UK Energy Policy
- The new North East region Energy Strategy
- Renewable Heat Opportunities
- Learning from REBUS/ Interreg Europe
- Future funding
- Low Carbon Futures
Cllr John Clare who officially opened the conference said ‘“Our commitment to low carbon must be embedded and run through everything that we do. The time to ask, persuade, and lobby about sustainability has passed. It is time to insist”
The conference was highlighted the end of the first phase of the REBUS project for Durham County Council. We were promoting our action plan going forward which will focus on three key actions:
- A new Low Carbon Strategy – based upon the regional strategies that are in development
- Unlocking renewable heat as a potential Low Carbon energy source for public infrastructure in County Durham
- A schools LED lighting retrofit project – ‘Enlighten’
