Where have we got to so far?
Transport
Transport makes up 22% of the total emissions of the borough. The use of petrol and diesel vehicles in the borough make up 63% of Luton’s total transport emissions, with a further 30% and 7% from HGVs and buses and rail respectively. The net zero vision requires, alongside technological changes, a shift in the way we travel in and around Luton.
- Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP)
- Electric Vehicle Chargepoint strategy
- Staff travel plans for local businesses
- Investment in liquid to gas biofuel for council fleet
- Deliver bus priority measures on key routes (guided busway Luton to Dunstable)
Our homes
Electricity and gas used in residential buildings make up around 31% of emissions in Luton. The amount of energy consumed in our homes is influenced by the efficiency of our building stock. A large number of households within Luton are low income and are therefore more vulnerable to fuel poverty as fuel prices rise.
- £34m investment programme into insulating council properties, including hard to treat
- Solar Together programme in conjunction with Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Council
- Trials of ground source heat pumps in new builds
- Currently 82% of council homes are EPC rating C or above
- 15 communal sites have access to heat pumps as secondary heat source
Businesses and public sector buildings
Electricity and gas used in non-residential buildings make up around 24% of emissions in Luton. A key challenge in the decarbonisation of this sector is the high investment required by private businesses and the public sector.
- Public Sector Decarbonisation grant - £7.7m award
- Whole lighting solutions with IoT controls - joint funding from LBC and Salix. Achieves 85% plus lighting energy reduction from buildings
- Procurement – frontline services based at Kingsway Depot continue to source 90% of equipment locally
- New heating and control system at Central Depot. Biomass and gas instead of oil.
- 100 local businesses given Carbon Awareness training
Biodiversity and resilience
Luton’s current tree cover captures a small fraction (0.3%) of Luton’s current emissions. Increasing tree cover, whilst simultaneously improving resident access to green space, will support Luton’s transition to net zero.
- Luton Tree and Management strategy
- Increased green spaces
- Trialling new robotic mowers with lower emissions
- Green Flag status achieved and maintained for six district and neighbourhood parks.
- SuDS in Schools
- Resilient and adaptive communities
- GRACE project
Education and awareness raising
A key component of reducing the carbon footprint is education. Providing information and raising awareness to individuals, households or businesses will help the journey to attain net zero by 2040. As the local authority the council has a key place in providing the resource and access to information to local residents and businesses.
- Climate Change guide
- Climate Change e-learning module for LBC staff
- Carbon Literacy training
- NZIP Energetic Lifestyles project
- COP26 school packs