Businesses in Bassetlaw can get an expert energy audit and guidance on how to reduce their carbon footprint, become more sustainable and reduce their long-term costs through a new Council run project.
Bassetlaw District Council is working with Mitie Plan Zero to carry out Energy Audits, which will provide businesses with a Heat Decarbonisation Plan for their places of work, along with the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to support any future costs of implementing energy efficiency and carbon reduction measures.
The project expects to support more than 50 micro, small and medium businesses across the district, and is being delivered as part of the Council’s £3.3m allocation from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
One of the first businesses to take advantage of the audit is the Acorn Theatre in Worksop and its Treasurer, Ian McKeer, said: “We hope the Energy Audit will prove to be very insightful and will put forward a number of ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint and potentially make some future savings.
“We also welcome the opportunity to apply for a decarbonisation grant. As a volunteer run charitable business that is solely reliant on its own income, a grant will allow us to reduce our carbon footprint when we couldn’t otherwise afford to do so.”
As part of the project Mitie Plan Zero will support local businesses to start or accelerate their plans to reduce their carbon emissions, and in turn, their impact on climate change.
To achieve this, the Energy Audits and grants will help businesses to gain a better understanding of their carbon footprint and identify the most suitable energy efficiency measures that are unique to their building. Using the audit and its findings, businesses can also apply for funding, which will support businesses to invest in decarbonisation.
Parth Mehta, at Mitie Plan Zero, said: “This incredible initiative will provide businesses with the tools and guidance they need to embark on their journey towards a sustainable and net-zero future.
“At Mitie, we believe that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand, and we are committed to helping these businesses be aspirational and think creatively while growing in an environmentally conscious way.
“Our team will be working closely with a wide range of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses throughout the district, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact this project will have on the Bassetlaw community and its businesses.”
Funded through Bassetlaw’s allocation of the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Cllr Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Environment and Energy, said this was just one of the ways the Council is helping to drive positive change among small and micro businesses.
He said: “This is just one example of how we are helping businesses to proactively look at decarbonisation and pave the way for cost savings, which could in turn give them the ability to invest and grow.
“Our commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop there. As businesses decarbonise, they become more profitable and efficient, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future. These actions will also bring us one step closer to our district’s decarbonisation goals and our journey towards achieving the 2045 net-zero target.”
