Northamptonshire County Council launches low carbon competition
Entrepreneurs are being asked to come up with innovative solutions to reduce the carbon footprint in buildings owned by Northamptonshire County Council.
The authority has £300,000 of contracts on offer and is hoping small and medium sized firms will come forward to help reduce its energy bills.
Contracts worth up to £10,000 per site excluding VAT will be granted to successful bids to put energy saving solutions into action.
The ideas must:
- Reduce carbon emissions
- Save money and payback in five years
- Be easily implemented
The purpose of this competition is to actively encourage local companies to identify specific opportunities for energy and carbon savings in the council’s properties, to ‘sell the benefits’ of their proposals to the site/budget manager and be rewarded with a contract to undertake the works.
Cllr Ben Smith, county council cabinet member for environment and growth, said: “We’ve launched the low carbon mission competition to enlist our local businesses to help us determine what the next steps are in our low carbon mission. If the ideas are feasible, we’ve got contracts ready and waiting for the winners. We’re really hoping local businesses engage with this opportunity to shape our infrastructure.
“We’re looking to save energy and money, so as the result of these contracts, energy costs, and council expenditure on running costs should decrease. The competition will also give us the opportunity to forge closer relationships with local business, supporting our valuable traders."
The competition is due to run until September 30, 2010 when initial concepts are due. For more information visit www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/lowcarbon
Posted by: Northamptonshire County Council
