Ken to curb landlord emissions

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has launched his own plans to tackle climate change single handed – with dual measures looking to curb both business and residential emissions.

Alongside an ambitious Green 500 plan to convince the capital's top businesses to sign up for carbon audits, the mayor has brought together 20 of London's biggest landlords in order to reduce emissions in the commercial property sector.

The Better Buildings Partnership brings together 20 leading landlord groups and sets a common strategy involving emissions reductions targets.

The scheme will cost £10,000 to join and will hope to set a new green standard for rental properties to aspire to – with Mr Livingstone looking to kick-start energy efficiency improvements that are sometimes held back by the terms of leases on buildings.

As much as £2.7 million will be paid by the London Development Agency, with private sector investment subsequently expected to add to the sum significantly and help to raise the green credentials of commercial property.

The partner scheme for businesses, the Green 500, will attempt to bind participating companies into cutting 60 per cent of carbon emissions by 2025.

Published 11th December, 2007

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