Sustainability team providing energy efficiency blueprint for businesses
Align Property Partners’ award-winning sustainability team is helping hundreds of businesses across Tyneside to reduce their carbon footprint.
The Business Energy Saving Team (BEST) project is being delivered jointly by local authorities across the North East including Newcastle City Council to offer advice and support to companies.
As part of the project, sustainability experts at Align – the North Yorkshire Council-owned building design consultancy – were asked to help provide a blueprint for how businesses in the region can be more energy-efficient and reduce their bills.
The team has now completed 150 bespoke decarbonisation reports for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
Among the measures advised include the fitting of solar panels, LED lighting, air source heat pumps and other low carbon technologies.
Technical director at Align, Chris Robson, said: “Our multi-disciplinary team of architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and sustainability experts are helping thousands of residents, businesses and other organisations to reduce their carbon footprint.
“It’s great to be supporting the BEST project which is already making a big difference to businesses in the region, helping them to support green initiatives and protect the environment whilst driving down their own energy bills at the same time.
“We are passionate about sustainability, and our efforts in North Yorkshire and elsewhere across the north of England have seen us receive regional and national acclaim, including being named North East Consultancy of the Year at the 2024 Energy Efficiency Awards.
“This recognition as well as the positive feedback from residents and businesses who are pleased with the support and advice given can only continue to inspire us as we press ahead with this important work.”
The BEST scheme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and aims to reduce energy use and costs in SMEs across Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and Gateshead.
It provides a range of fully-funded energy efficiency support, designed to help identify ways that can save energy in day-to-day business operations, which helps to save money and reduce the carbon footprint.
Grants are also available to help cover the costs of improvements, helping to reduce running costs and the impact of operations on the environment.
Cllr Dan Greenhough, cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills at Newcastle City Council, said: “The positive impact the scheme is having for local businesses is great to see and is a shining example of how collaborative initiatives can drive meaningful change.
“They are not only helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint but also paving the way for a more sustainable and cost-efficient future across the region.”
You can find out more about the scheme by visiting www.best-ne.co.uk.
