Chips are down in battle to save fuel

The move is one possibility raised by Bradford Council as it plans to assess the environmental impact of every building it owns.

As fuel costs continue to climb and councils are being handed tough new targets by the European Union, every public building will be subject to the audit.

Libraries, leisure centres, Council offices and swimming pools will be inspected.

The EU Building Energy Performance Directive states that every local authority has to conduct these audits within the next few years. But environmental bosses in Bradford have decided to fast-track their approach and get their surveying process up and running by the summer.

Bosses already have some plans in mind. Under consideration is a greener boiler to power City Hall. The biomass boiler would be powered by woodchips collected from the Parks and Landscapes department slashing fuel costs.

Similar schemes are being considered for Keighley Library and Ilkley Town Hall. The Council is waiting for the results of the audit before making any firm plans.

Richard Isaac, policy manager for eco-management, said: "Bradford has a lot of older buildings. We expect these places to be the least energy efficient."

Peel Park Nursery, Undercliffe, has been commended for its inventive irrigation system. Rainwater is collected on the roof and channelled to the plants.

The Council also has plans to work with the Carbon Trust, an independent company funded by the Government to reduce carbon emissions via improved energy efficiency. The Trust estimates that introducing such measures can save up to 30 per cent off of fuel bills.

The news comes as Bradford was named as a "significant improver" on the Yorkshire and Humber Environment Index, published this week.

The index measures the impact organisations have on the environment and ranks their performance against other large companies in the region. The Council had improved by 27.4 per cent.

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk