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EWS | DIGEST 7.5bn energy savings possible from retrofits A major programme of energy efficiency and low carbon retrofits could reduce building energy costs by 7.5bn a year, create more than 150,000 jobs and cut carbon emissions by 20%, according to a group of leading banks. Barclays, Triodos, Tide, Handelsbanken and the Ecology Building Society together form Bankers for Net-Zero, which has produced a strategy for a retrofit revolution designed to deliver a 50% reduction in energy use and carbon footprints. It has sent the plan, which also targets the elimination of fuel poverty, to ministers with a warning that piecemeal, short-term policies would not unlock the level of investment needed to stimulate the best outcomes. The group said that fully decarbonising the built environment would remove 20% of the emissions required to reach net zero. With 28 million homes needing to be A 20-year plan to improve the energy and carbon performance of homes has received widespread support from the engineering and construction sectors. The Construction Leadership Councils (CLC) but depends on the government investing an initial 5.3bn over the next four years to The CLC believes that money could generate 100,000 new jobs, while also saving the NHS 1.4bn and reducing domestic energy bills by as much as 436 per household per annum. Given our homes contribute 20% of the nations carbon emissions, it is essential that treat this as a national infrastructure project capable of targeting 20% of the countrys entire carbon footprint. It added: At a time of economic uncertainty and growing pressure to tackle climate change, ready-made solution for the government to take forward and showcase to the world at COP26 [climate conference in Glasgow] in November. 1930s telephone exchange to create the Entopia Building (page 43) the CLC Task Force. Our strategy has been fully costed and offers a roadmap [showing] how the government can create a low carbon built environment by 2040. Bitcoin mining using more energy than whole countries SMART LIGHTING GUIDE WEBINAR 20 April 2021, 13:00 (BST) Register here: bit.ly/cibsewebinars Brought to you by: The process for producing the digital currency Bitcoin consumes more energy than several countries, according to research carried out by the University of Cambridge. The amount of computer processing power required is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of Argentina and uses more electricity than Ireland, the researchers found. It continues to soar as interest in the currency grows following the intervention of Wall Street in the controversial method of exchange. The Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index calculated the total amount of annual energy consumed by Bitcoin mining at 115 terawatt-hours (TWh). The currency reached its record high of $61,000 in mid March and, although the value has fallen since, the energy usage continues to rise. This is because delivering one Bitcoin to a computer requires it to solve a complex series of algorithms, which is a highly energy-intensive process. With more than 18.5 million of the total 21 million Bitcoins already mined, the algorithms are getting harder for those seeking to create those that remain and only specialised computer equipment can now handle the power needed. The Cambridge researchers showed that China, which generates two-thirds of its electricity from coal, is the largest Bitcoin miner by far. 8 April 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE April 21 pp08-09 News.indd 8 26/03/2021 14:33