Ken Livingstone has launched the UK’s first ‘green homes’ service designed to help Londoners cut climate change emissions in their home by offering an easy, one-stop-shop for information on how to be more carbon efficient.
The flagship London Green Homes service is unique to the capital, and offers a free comprehensive telephone advice service, a free website and a paid-for green ‘concierge’ service to provide a hassle-free tailor-made package of carbon saving lifestyle improvements Organisers promise the scheme will be “highly flexible”.
The service forms part of delivering the Mayor’s Climate Change Action Plan which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025.
Sixty per cent of London’s housing was built before 1945, compared to 40 per cent nationally so it is less energy efficient than the UK average. Over £4m has been allocated to the Green Homes programme in 2007-08 and it aims to cut 500,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year by 2010.
The Mayor opened the service with Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor of London and Green Party Assembly member Darren Johnson at a specially designed life-size eco-house in Trafalgar Square named ‘No 1 Lower Carbon Drive’ which will tour the capital to promote the new services.
Speaking at the launch Mayor Livingstone said “much of the energy we pay for in our homes is simply wasted, and there are simple changes we can make to cut energy use without any reduction in our quality of life – indeed the average household will save £300 if they carry out the Green Homes programme.”
mr Johnson called the scheme “another example of London leading the way and the Government following.”
Londoners can access the service online at www.londonclimatechange.co.ukor via a free telephone helpline – 0800 512012- where they can access one-to-one, personalised advice from experienced staff.
