Climate Change and Air Quality Progress Report 2023 to 2024

The Sustainable Drainage team performs the role of the Lead Local Flood Authority in the planning process and is a statutory consultee on major planning applications in relation to surface water drainage. This means that the team advises the Local Planning Authority on whether surface water drainage schemes are fit for purpose to manage surface water runoff generated from sites up to a 1 in 100 year plus climate change allowance storm event. The team ensures that sustainable drainage systems are prioritised, meaning that rainfall is managed as close to source as possible, such as through rain gardens which dispose of roof runoff in vegetated areas. Some of these are shown in Figure 28.

The Climate Response Team provided guidance to the Heritage & Archaeology Team regarding considerations of embodied carbon within buildings and how this might impact decisions on renovation or demolition and new build. If you would like to read more about embodied carbon, this can be found in our 22/23 Progress Report.

Buckinghamshire Council secured £540k through the Government funded Home Upgrade Grant 2. The scheme is supporting energy performance improvements in off-gas grid homes up until March 2025 to reduce carbon emissions and lower household bills. Eligible households may receive measures such as insulation and ventilation upgrades, a low carbon heating system such as an air source heat pump, a solar PV system or heating controls. The scheme is largely being managed by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, in partnership with the managing agent, Agility Eco.

An ‘Energy Doctor’ scheme (Domestic Resource Efficiency Service) was approved by Cabinet on 5 January 2023. Just under £2 million has been allocated to support the initiative until the end of March 2025 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Energy Doctors (Domestic Resource Efficiency Officers) have been visiting eligible homes (since 5 April ’23) to:

• identify whether households are paying too much for their energy and/or water (benchmarked against average prices and taking into account legislation relating to energy and water supplies);
• provide advice on support available (including funding and grants) to assist with the implementation of resource efficiency measures;
• suggest appropriate behavioural and control changes that can help reduce resource consumption; and
• implement suitable low cost easy retrofit resource efficiency (LCERRE) measures such as water saving measures (aerated shower heads, shower timers and toilet cistern water displacement devises), draught proofing (for windows, doors, letterboxes, and chimneys), heated throws, hot water cylinder insulation jackets, reflective radiator panels, secondary glazing film, portable solar generators, electricity consumption monitors, smart plugs, thermometer cards, and LED lights.

As of 5 September 2024, over 800 visits have been made by the Energy Doctors and it’s estimated that by March ‘25 the scheme will reduce carbon emissions in the area by 300 tonnes per year. It’s estimated that the visits made so far are helping people save over £120 on their energy bills per year on average.

The Domestic Building Envelope Energy Efficiency grant scheme was launched on 1 May 2024 and is also funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation to the ‘Energy Doctor’ scheme. The grant may be used by eligible owner occupiers to fund the installation of roof insulation, cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, loft insulation, window replacement, secondary glazing and door replacement.

As of 16 August 2024, 55 application forms have been returned. Of the returned applications 46 have been approved (27 of which are within an Opportunity Bucks ward), with a total value of £670,227 (net) and works have been completed at 4 properties. It’s estimated that these works will reduce carbon emissions in the area by 16 tonnes per year. Claims for the funded works need to be submitted by 31 December 2024.

The Domestic Building Envelope Energy Efficiency grant scheme is also supporting the development of the green economy both within Buckinghamshire and nationally. 48% of the approved applications involve works being completed by at least one Buckinghamshire based company.

After the success of the first round of Buckinghamshire Solar Together (please see the 2022/23 Progress Report), a second round was launched in Spring 2024. A total of 2,579 residents registered by the scheme deadline of July 5th, receiving their offers shortly after. Of those who received an offer following the reverse auction, 623 accepted their quotes for Solar PV and 598 of these added battery storage. A further 43 accepted an offer for the installation of battery storage to an existing solar PV array.

Installations began in August and will proceed over the winter, with the final results in terms of installed capacity and emissions saved to be published next year.