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A public services group has asked the Government to suggest collaboration between energy suppliers, local organisations and community groups to reduce CO2 emissions in households throughout Scotland.

IMServ has recently criticised the Government’s Consultation on Smart Metering for Electricity and Gas as it believes it will not be beneficial for consumers or the electricity industry.

Last month the Building Services Research and Information Association published partial statistics for new school Energy Performance Certificates, but only showed part of the problem, as full statistics are nearly impossible to find.

“Again and again, so called ‘sustainable’ designers present their huge glass-box buildings that anyone with an iota of intelligence can see are environmental nightmares. Voices are increasingly raised by designers who are either fundamentally  ignorant or unethical,” Susan Roaf, professor of architectural engineering, Heriott-Watt University, June.

Labour MP Colin Challen, who retires at the next General Election to spend more time saving the planet from climate change, has written a very pessimistic new book on his experiences as a politician in trying to bring some urgency, rationality and sustainability to energy policy.

“Under this [economic stimulation] plan, we would double the production of alternative energy – double it from where it is right now...” President Obama, 9 February

Sceptics argue that the international green and sustainable building agenda will diminish in importance in the recession but several reports indicate otherwise.

“Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet… We will work tirelessly to… roll back the specter of a warming planet… We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.” President Barack Hussein Obama, 20 January.

“We’ll take the cost of carbon into account if we’re building a new substation, [or] if we’re installing new gas lines,” Chris Mostyn, National Grid US unit, International Herald Tribune, Business of Green supplement, 14 Oct.

Amidst the doom and gloom, lo and behold some green shoots.At the weekend, Communities secretary, Hazel Blears, said that the government’s priority was to keep together the construction skills base and to do that finance will be found for large scale public investment.

“Spiralling energy costs and impending recession make it essential for all businesses to implement an efficient energy management strategy and stop wasting money now,” Professor Martin Fry, Chairman, Energy Services and Technology Association, 27 Aug.

There’s nothing like learning from experience. The value of the latest Superhome refurbishment in Camden (see p12) lies not only in the publicity it generates, but from the practical lessons learnt.