February 19, 2020 12.37 pm This story is over 49 months old

South Kesteven bid to tackle climate change with £61k LED lighting upgrade

The authority estimates it spent £62,000 on electricity across both sites during 2018-19
Councillors voted to give the absent councillors six more months dispensation | Photo: SKDC

South Kesteven is to spend £61,000 moving to LED lighting at two of its properties in Grantham as it looks to tackle climate change.

Councillors will next Tuesday be asked to approve the move in St Peter’s Hill and at South Kesteven House.

The move is one of two projects put forward by the authority’s Climate Change Task and Finish Group looking into how it can reduce its carbon footprint by at least 30% by 2030 and become net-zero carbon before 2050.

The authority estimates it spent £62,000 on electricity across both sites during 2018-19, with between 20-40% of that down to lighting.

A report before councillors said LEDs use around a quarter of the energy and upgrading the light fittings will save around 20.8 tonnes carbon.

The cost to upgrade breaks down as £47,000+VAT at St Peter’s Hill, £14,000+VAT at SK House and £5,000 to install motion sensor lights in communal areas.

The lighting change is one of two projects put forward by the group to be looked at “immediately”, with the other being to reduce the use of paper across the authority.

This could include the use of electronic tablets such as iPads by both council staff and in the public and press area.

The authority estimates on the public side this would cost £540 for two devices plus another £30 for security locks.

Elsewhere on the agenda for Tuesday, councillors will also look at reducing single-use plastics across SKDC, including offering re-usable cups in their food and drink facilities.

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