WHAT a tremendous achievement by everyone at the council to have saved more than £7m in energy costs in the last 10 years.

Back in 2008, the council set itself a target to cut its own carbon footprint in half by 2020.

It felt like a very ambitious target at the time but we wanted to aim high. Fast forward a decade and we have not only achieved it, but we have done it three years ahead of schedule. The council’s own carbon footprint is now 53.9 per cent lower than in 2008/9.

We have achieved this by investing in a wide range of technology which is now reaping dividends. Some examples include the installation of thousands of new low energy street lights across Reading which use 65 per cent less energy than compared with older lights.

We have also invested in the installation of 7,500 solar systems which, while not always visible from the ground, are sat on the rooftops of many council and community buildings across Reading, including right here in the Civic Offices.

Most of you will also remember the old Civic Centre building by the Hexagon Theatre which the council moved out of back in 2014.

At the time we made a strong case for moving into refurbished offices in Bridge Street.

Aside from the large amount of asbestos in the old building, which made it difficult and expensive to maintain, one of the key arguments for the move was that the refurbished offices in Bridge Street would use around 75 per cent less energy than the old Civic Centre.

That move has also played a major part in helping the Council to cut its energy bill.

We are not resting on our laurels and there is always more that can be done. The original strategy aimed for the Council to be zero carbon by 2050 and we will continue to work towards that, exploring new initiatives and technologies and investing in energy awareness and training programmes for staff.

Looking at the bigger picture, while it is only right that the council should be setting an example in this area, businesses, organisations and individuals across Reading also have a vital role to play.

The council is just one part of the Reading Climate Change Partnership which aims for the town as a whole to become zero carbon by 2050 and who knows maybe sooner than that if possible.

Finally, looking not so far into the future, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of the Reading Chronicle’s readers and staff a wonderful and peaceful Christmas however you are spending it, and a happy and healthy New Year.