BG takes CO2 high ground with Green Streets drive

British Gas is taking a swipe at the Government as it starts the latest element of its energy reduction campaign, warning the UK will miss its CO2 targets due to ill-thought-out policy.

To highlight the anticipated failure to meet carbon reduction targets it is rolling out an initiative labelled Green Streets. BG calls the drive “a year-long social experiment” that will demonstrate how existing homes can be made more energy efficient.

The Centrica-owned energy supplier claims “there is too much focus on energy efficiency in new homes and not enough on existing stock”.

The Green Streets initiative will focus on 64 households from eight streets, with each street being given £30,000 to spend on energy-saving equipment, including light bulbs, solar panels and heat humps. The “winning” street will be awarded a £50,000 energy saving makeover for a local project.

Phil Bentley, BG managing director, says: “While strict standards on new-builds are needed, most of the energy consumed is in the ageing homes we live in today. Making changes in these properties will give us the biggest carbon emission reductions.”