Energy and sustainability

There are a number of ways businesses can contribute to our efforts to make Newham more energy safe and efficient and help to make London a zero-carbon city by 2050. You can find out more on the london.gov.uk website.

Here are some of the most important:

• Measure and report on greenhouse gas emissions and set long term targets.
• Adhere to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) building regulations.
• Ensure new buildings are as energy-efficient as possible and include measures to reduce cooling needs.
• Look to connect new buildings to low carbon heat networks, use local sources of waste heat or installation of low carbon heat pumps.
• Replace old boilers with more efficient ones and consider renewable options like heat pumps. Support is available for SMEs through Cleaner Heat Cashback or for all businesses through the Renewable Heat Incentive.
• Optimise fleet movements and switch to electric vehicles.
• Use procurement to encourage decarbonisation; for example, switch to additional green electricity and gas tariffs.
• Work with staff to drive behavioural changes that help reduce business emissions, for example, travelling less.

Landlords and landowners, there are many actions that you can take. Here are some of the most important:

Get an Energy Performance Certificat (EPC) assessment to see how best to improve your home.

• As landlords, you should adhere to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), bring poorly performing buildings up to a higher rating and develop a plan to improve all your stock. From April 2018, new MEES rules mean a landlord cannot renew or grant a new tenancy of longer than six months if their property has an EPC rating of 'F' or worse.
• Explore whether your home is suitable for solar and/or electricity storage installations. Look at installing a low carbon heat technology so you can benefit from the Renewable Heat Incentive.
• Only buy energy-efficient appliances.
• Walk, cycle or use public transport instead of driving where possible. Use car clubs, ideally those with electric or hybrid vehicles.
• Switch energy supplier to a green tariff for electricity and gas.