It has been announced that the government is to fund a £10m, three year, competition that will show how innovative technologies and processes can be used to make significant energy savings in non-domestic buildings such as schools, shops, offices and hotels.
The Invest in Innovative Refurb programme will introduce new, energy efficient, technologies and processes to the refurbishment of non-domestic buildings, with the aim of reducing energy use in the existing building stock.
The programme will be managed by the Technology Strategy Board (www.innovateuk.org) in partnership with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC www.decc.gov.uk). Through a SBRI competition for funding, which opens at the end of April, building owners or occupiers, working with technology suppliers will be invited to submit proposals to introduce innovative energy efficient technologies that can achieve significant energy savings and reductions in CO2 emissions.
Energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, commented, “The Invest in Innovative Refurb programme will show how we can cut energy use and reduce carbon emissions from our offices, schools, shops and hotels by introducing innovative technologies and products which could ultimately be accredited under the Green Deal. Non-domestic buildings generate 18% of the UK’s total carbon emissions and around two thirds of our current building stock will still be standing in 2050. If we are to meet our energy and climate targets it is vital that we reduce energy demand and carbon emissions from this sector.”
The programme will include a period of post installation, independently evaluated, in use performance monitoring and then a further period for dissemination of the results and outputs. The desired outcome of the programme is to assist a host of companies in attaining Green Deal Certification, and gain a market, for their products.
Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, added, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Department for Energy and Climate Change on this important programme, which will help to demonstrate how significant energy and carbon savings can be made in non-domestic buildings. Through this programme we want to show both that a great range of new technologies are available, and that it makes economic sense to undertake energy efficiency refurbishment.”
Collaboration between building owners, tenants and innovative technology providers will be encouraged. The programme will seek a balance between smaller and larger companies and additional support may be provided to SMEs for product monitoring and accreditation.
The funding will be made available in two tranches. The first tranche of the competition opens on 30th April 2012 and applicants must register their interest by 6th June 2012. Applications must be submitted by 13th June 2012. The second tranche will open in mid-October.
