POORLY PERFORMING COUNCIL BUILDING TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO GREEN BEACON

6.54.00am GMT Wed 19th Nov 2008

Civic Centre (based in Huddersfield Town Centre) is one of the council’s biggest climate change offenders.

One of Kirklees biggest CO2 emitting council buildings is to be transformed into a green beacon for businesses and councils across the UK.

Civic Centre III (based in Huddersfield Town Centre) is one of the council's biggest climate change offenders (1). But this is about to change as councillors prepare to approve energy efficiency improvements to value of £1.2m which promise to slash the building's CO2 emissions by 100 tonnes a year and make it a UK leader of its type.

The money needed to fund the changes is to come from the Council's Climate Change Fund which was jointly negotiated as part of this year council budget by Liberal Democrat and Green Groups

Under the proposals Civic III - which already generates part of its electricity through two wind turbines - will benefit from:

? New wall and roof insulation including double glazing

? New heating controls system

? New intelligent lighting system

? New T5 energy efficient lighting

? New ventilation system that will automatically open windows and reduce reliance on air conditioning

Cllr Ann Denham (Lib Dem Leader on the Environment said):

"Civic III is already an emblem of the areas commitment to the environment. I am very excited by the prospect of making it a green beacon for businesses and other local authorities across the UK. The more the council can save on running costs such as energy the more it will have to spend on education, health and social services."

The Lib Dem and Green sponsored proposal goes before Cabinet for signing off on the 26th November 2008.