Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Technology Maps published

Leicester City Council is highlighting green technologies and how they have been employed across the city of Leicester through the publication of its Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Technology Maps. The maps show the locations of renewable energy installations and low carbon technologies across the city with further information that can be clicked on to identify the amount of carbon saved.

Due to the interactive nature and simple presentation of the maps it is possible to layer up a basic map of Leicester with icons displaying points in the city where different technologies have been implemented. Simple sliders allow users to smoothly toggle between technologies, with the ability to click on the icons allowing a text box to appear displaying further information. The maps display multiple technologies including: Solar Photovoltaics, Green Roofs, External Wall Insulation, Cavity Wall Insulation, District Heating, LED street lighting and houses built to the Code for Sustainable Homes level 4.

The Major Renewable layer demonstrates the success of Leicester City Council’s well established low carbon and renewable planning policies. All new developments over 1000m2, or ten dwellings in size are required to acquire 18% of their energy use from a renewable source on site. Since 2009, 80 new major developments within the city have complied with our renewable policies.

The map is able to display the extent of the city’s district heating network which is otherwise hidden from view to residents of the city. The scheme provides combined heat and power to 35 council and university buildings and 2800 householders across the city.

Retrofitting council housing stock to improve energy efficiency is represented by the External Wall and Cavity Wall insulation Layers on the map. The insulation significantly reduces the amount of carbon released, due to a reduced need to heat the property. 1,350 council properties have currently been fitted with external wall insulation.

The maps were created to emphasise the true scale of renewable and low carbon technology in the city, with a goal to display the advances made towards carbon reduction and to act as a catalyst for future growth in this sector. The greenhouse gas saving initiatives, shown on the Renewable Maps, are now achieving annual savings of 18,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions for the city through: The city wide district heating network; 6,625 tonnes CO2/year, Planning policy renewable energy on major developments: 4,080 tonnes CO2/year, renewable energy generation, such as PV panels; 3,246 tonnes CO2/year, solid wall insulation; 2,406 tonnes/year and improved street lighting: 2,157 tonnes CO2/year

You can see the maps here: https://leicester-renewables.cartodb.com/maps