JB launches Energising Culture report

Energising Culture is the first in a two-part guide on future energy strategies for cultural buildings from Julies Bicycle. It aims to equip arts organisations with an understanding of the core issues around energy demand and supply, and implications for operational and investment decision-making.  Energising Culture makes the case for energy as a business-critical issue.

The guide covers practical and operational interventions, the current range of technological, compliancy and financial incentives, sources of funding and investment models available, and provides examples of innovative and bold responses to the energy challenge showing the potential of the cultural sector to galvanise its inherent creativity and resourcefulness to lead the way in both artistic and public communities.

The report also contains a review of international standards including BS8901 and ISO 20121 (both for sustainable event management systems),  ISO 14001 (environmental management systems)  Yourope's Green n Clean award for green fesgtivals, ISO 50001 for energy management, JB's own IG mark, EMAs (for environmental management systems) and Green Key but rather annoyingly misses out the "The international standard for environmentally efficient music festivals” - the Greener Festival Award - which operate in 5 continents and now assesses over 50 festivals globally each year - and is recognised as the leading environmental award for events and festivals as well as missing the ratings scheme run by the Sustainable Restaurants Association (SRA).

You can download the Report here  http://www.juliesbicycle.com/resources/publications/energising-culture

UK festivals could power 10,000 homes

New research conducted this summer by creative industry greening experts Julie’s Bicycle, the University of Sussex and the Power Providers Forum (an informal network of power suppliers and festival promoters, JB, AGreenerFestival and the Association of Independent Festivals) shows that the energy used at UK festivals could power 10,000 homes for a year – with large inefficiencies found with diesel generators. The research findings show that UK music festivals consume about 12 million litres of diesel per year, generating an estimated 48,000MWh of electricity and 31,600t CO2e emissions. One of the green solutions for this, waste vegetable oil (WVO) biodiesel is currently meeting just 3-6% of this festival power supply demand, and on-site renewable energy – solar powered battery, temporary wind or pedal power – is meeting just 0.026%. with the current capacity of renewables meeting 0.1% (91kW) of demand. Julies Bicycle have made a number of recommendations to the sector including festivals understanding and reducing their energy demand, including better planning and rationalising of generators, and using more energy efficient kit for PA and lighting; Tour bus operations significantly reducing energy demand; Increasing the supply of WVO biodiesel through better information; and Energy suppliers providing better information about the power and entertainment output provided by diesel, biodiesel and renewable installations to increase confidence and promote forward planning.

Julie’s Bicycle has also developed the Green Suppliers Database, a platform for suppliers to share information and increase awareness of their business available at:
www.juliesbicycle.com/resources/jb-green-database

Julies Bicycle gives 14 UK festivals the IG

Julie's Bicycle has awarded fourteen UK festivals its Industry Green certificates, with Shambala becoming the first to get the full three-star award for running almost entirely on renewable energy. Julie's Bicycle director Alison Tickell told CMU: "The challenge of reducing impacts while growing the business is being tackled head on by this brave group of festivals, It's not always comfortable to put the green brand to the test. This group of festivals are doing it for real" .The full list of newly awarded festivals is: Big Chill, Glastonbury, Grass Roots, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Isle Of Wight Festival, Latitude, Leeds Festival, Lovebox, Reading Festival, Shambala, Sonisphere, T In The Park, Truck and Wood Festival.
Also out this week are the nominations for the Music Week 2011 Julie's Bicycle Green Business Award. The six finalists are Firefly Solar CIC, KOKO, The NEC Group, The Premises Studios Ltd, The Sage Gateshead and Truck Enterprises for the Wood Festival.