Local Authorities Embrace CRC Data Management Tool

• Almost half of organisations signed-up to Landmark’s Carbon Counter tool are from public sector
• Carbon Counter supports public sector in recording and tracking their CRC compliance data

Local authorities and public sector organisations are turning to data management tools to help them get to grips with the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC), according to findings from data management and energy experts Landmark Information Group.

Landmark reported that almost half of the organisations currently signed up to its data management tool, Carbon Counter, were made up from district councils, county councils, police authorities and NHS trusts.

Landmark Carbon Counter

Landmark launched Carbon Counter in partnership with UK consultancy SKM Enviros Ltd in April 2010 to provide organisations with a robust and auditable carbon data management service to manage their CRC compliance obligations. Organisations such as Cardiff Council, Perth and Kinross Council, London Borough of Sutton, Birmingham City Council and Bristol City Council have so far signed up to the service.

Perth and Kinross Council wanted to avoid the financial risks and penalties involved with non-compliance and needed to find a robust solution to deliver more than just their existing monitoring and targeting (M&T) software.

Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)

Gordon Dick, Energy Officer at Perth and Kinross Council, said: “We needed to deliver data, registration and compliance for CRC so finding the right solution was critical. By considering an application that was designed specifically for CRC we decided that Carbon Counter could complement our existing M&T software. Filtering out relevant information means we can create evidence folders and reports.”

David Mole, Deputy Managing Director of Landmark UK Property, commented: “We were aware that the Carbon Reduction Commitment would have a significant impact on local authorities. Organisations such as city and district councils are often responsible for administering electricity, gas, oil and biomass on multiple sites so maintaining a clear evidence pack and audit trail is vital. Carbon Counter was designed with complex organisations in mind as it enables them to assign energy consumptions across each aspect of its organisation.”

John Sinclair is Energy Manager for London Borough of Sutton and has responsibility for managing the purchasing of Sutton’s energy requirements for its operational property portfolio which includes most of the schools within this region. He is also accountable for the data, registration and compliance of CRC.

Mr Sinclair commented: “We hold a large quantity of energy data in the form of self-read meter readings held in individual spread sheets (one for each building). In some cases this data goes back to 1998. We also hold energy invoice information going back to about 1996. We see it as being essential to have all our energy data in one place and Carbon Counter offers this with the added benefit of being web-based which means it is backed up and secure.”

To find out more about Landmark’s Carbon Counter click here.