Livingstone launches zero-carbon report

London mayor Ken Livingstone has launched a report aimed at providing advice to London boroughs to help them cut their carbon emissions.

Livingstone launched the Towards Zero Carbon Developments report, produced by the London Energy Partnership, at renewable energy company Solarcentury. The report gives advice on how boroughs can meet targets set in the mayor’s energy strategy - which says they must have a zero-carbon development in their borough by 2010.

Livingstone said: "Tackling climate change is the single most important task facing humanity. Energy use in buildings accounts for nearly three-quarters of London’s carbon emissions”, highlighting the importance of Towards Zero Carbon Developments.

The hope is that these zero emission developments will create technological innovation and an expertise on designing and building green buildings.

David Green, chair of the London Energy Partnership, said: “Putting London on track to a low carbon economy means that we need to ensure key professionals have the tools to do the job. That is why we have worked closely with planners, architects, engineers and developers to ensure they have the information they need to deliver zero carbon developments.” Green also stressed the importance of the role of the London Energy Partnership in bringing together everyone with a part to play in reducing London’s structural carbon emissions - which account for two thirds of the city’s entire carbon emissions.

Jeremy Leggett, chief executive of Solarcentury, said: “As practitioners of low carbon building, it is often frustrating for us that people don’t realise how relatively easy it is to marry energy efficiency with solar and other renewable micropower technologies and achieve deep cuts, or even zero emissions, in buildings.”

The mayor is currently seeking a partner to work with him and the London Development Agency on a zero carbon development. The scheme, which will build 200 homes in 3 acres situated at the Albert Docks, is intended to exemplify the modern construction techniques needed to produce cost-effective zero-carbon buildings.