Good Practice Examples
Good Practice Examples
Read and learn more about exciting Good Practice Examples from the West Midlands.
Read about good practice examples relating mainly to business, the public sector or the voluntary sector.
We are writing case studies for our website to promote sustainability related award winners and good practice in the region. This provides an effective means of sharing your good work with a wider audience while promoting the region.
If you would like us to write a case study about your project fill in our form and send it, 1-5 photos and your logo (in a jpeg format) to laura.simpson@swm.org.uk.
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2009 and Beyond event, Coventry
2009 and Beyond is an annual event held at Coombe Country Park on the outskirts of Coventry through which school children are involved in activities with a focus on sustainability.
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A Joint Celebration Event for schools in Coventry
A joint celebration event was held by Coventry City Council to celebrate the achievements of schools and to help them to become Sustainable Schools in the long run.
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Balsall Heath Church Centre
This innovative project brought together many partners from the Balsall Heath area to install a new type of solar system called Flexilight and this showed that a partnership between faith, communities and the private sector can achieve great success.
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Balsall Heath Is Our Planet (BHIOP)
Balsall Heath Is Our Planet (BHIOP) is a community initiative that aims to cut the carbon emissions of this inner city neighbourhood of Birmingham and reduce its environmental impact, to improve everyone's quality of life. BHIOP are encouraging walking and cycling, planting trees, directing people to energy advice, publicising solar energy and generally using neighbourhood level action to help everyone to reduce their carbon footprints.
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Birmingham City Council's Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan
The Green Infrastructure and Adaptation Delivery Group is playing a crucial role in developing the understanding of climate change impacts whilst incorporating adaptation into policy, thus helping Birmingham City Council adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.
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Birmingham District Energy Scheme
The Birmingham District Energy Scheme is playing a pivotal role in Birmingham City Council's climate change strategy, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% by 2025.
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Birmingham's Climate Change Risk Mapping research programme
Birmingham City Council, the University of Birmingham, and the Birmingham Environmental Partnership (BEP) are undertaking new research to understand the impacts of extreme weather and climate change on Birmingham's diverse communities. This work is using the latest remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS) techniques to develop a practical tool to allow departments across the council and the partnership to target services in the most at risk areas and allow communities to build their own resilience to a changing climate.
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Building Business Resilience - Climate Adaptation Capacity Project
The West Midlands Climate Adaptation Partnership is using the expertise and networks of business advisors, through Sustainability West Midlands and established business groups to help build resilience for businesses in the Midlands.
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CABLED
With dwindling fossil fuel resources and the threat of global warming, there is a requirement to move transport away from oil-based fuels. Using electricity as the power source, the carbon emissions are transferred from the tailpipe of the vehicle to the power stations. This project will develop the West Midlands and the UK as a leader in low carbon vehicle technology and its deployment. Much of the technology showcased by this project is engineered or manufactured in the UK, and could lead to significant future exports.
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Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College
Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College has installed a wind turbine and solar panels and engaged pupils' interest in sustainability issues.
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Church Hall Gardens eco development
Church Hall Gardens eco development in Atherstone, North Warwickshire have designed a small eco development designed with energy efficiency in mind, these buildings have achieved Energy Performance Certificate level A on a brownfield site.
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Cutting Coventry's Carbon Footprint
The pilot programme sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) and the Coventry Partnership was a trial of a process which endeavours to join up bottom up organisational activity with the local authority programmes on climate change. The process has been piloted in Coventry which has an active partnership of business and organisations some of who kindly volunteered to work with the project and share their data and experiences.
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Energy Efficiency Fund: Wolverhampton City Council
Fund used to set up a 'Spend to Save' loan scheme increasing energy efficiency, water savings and recycling.
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Energy wardens - Coventry City Council
The Climate Change Strategy for Coventry sets out a bold carbon emission reduction target for 2050 of 70%. As well as working with stakeholders across the city to cut carbon, the Council is serious about getting its own house in order. The aim of the Energy Warden scheme is to build a network of enthusiastic, well-informed group of champions across Coventry City Council reaching into many teams to demystify energy management and make it fun.
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F. Ball & Co. Ltd
F. Ball & Co. Ltd is the UK's leading manufacturer of flooring adhesives and floor preparation products for the contract flooring industry. It employs over 130 staff at its Cheddleton manufacturing facility near Leek, Staffordshire. The company has developed a structured approach to energy efficiency on site which has identified opportunities to make financial savings, raised the profile of resource efficiency and provided a platform for continual improvement.
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Groundwork West Midlands' Graduate Apprenticeship Programme (GAP)
Groundwork's Graduate Apprenticeship Programme (GAP) based in the Black Country is providing work experience to graduates interested in a career in environmental regeneration and sustainability.
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Grow With Wyre Landscape Partnership Scheme
Wyre Forest Landscape Partnership's project Grow With Wyre aims to ensure the long term social, environmental and economic sustainability of the area which spans the Worcestershire and Shropshire border through restoring the ancient landscape and habitats, raising awareness of its assets and identifying the training needs to sustain traditional skills and practices.
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Heartwoods
Heartwoods is a tree and woodland industry support initiative currently focusing on promoting the management of woodlands to supply wood for fuel. Heartwoods has Woodfuel Champions from the private sector to deliver advice, support, signposting and facilitation. This will result in increased capacity and activity in the wood supply chain.
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Hotel Shop, Worcestershire - adapting to the impacts of a severe weather event
Following severe flooding of the Hotel Shop in 2007, the company were faced with severe challenges and had to quickly develop plans for the future.
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Hydro-Logic - adapting to the impacts of severe weather events
Hydro-Logic Ltd is an independent UK-based Company established with the objective of delivering high quality solutions for the water and environmental protection industries. Their headquarters is based at Bromyard in Herefordshire.Through this project, they aim was to develop a remote water monitoring solution to help Wychavon Local Authority Drainage Engineers ease flood worries for local residents.
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JCB
A Carbon Trust survey within a Carbon Management service showed JCB how to make energy efficiency part of its strategic planning process. This was achieved by focusing on improving staff awareness, monitoring machines more closely and investing in new technology.
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Jericho Foundation
The Jericho Foundation was founded in Balsall Hall, Birmingham to help the most disadvantaged to overcome social problems and to get back into employment. It is now considered one of the country's leading social enterprises.
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Johnson Tiles
Johnson Tiles is the leading manufacturer and supplier of ceramic tiles in the UK, with a long history of market leadership and industry production development. Johnson Tiles has adopted a culture of resource efficiency on site where the efficient use of all materials, supplies, energy and transport is promoted.
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Keep Shropshire Warm
Keep Shropshire Warm was established to tackle the growing rate of fuel poverty across the county and raise awareness of the issues households faced through rising fuel costs. It aims to help households reduce their fuel bills and increase the energy efficiency of their homes whilst improving the health and living conditions of those households most affected.
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Light Fantastic
Light Fantastic is a mobile exhibition, which visits communities and schools, town centres and supermarkets across the Midlands. It showcases energy efficient technology and techniques, using low energy lighting as a focus and initial draw to visitors. Visitors can then be introduced to topics such as behavioural change and renewable technology.
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Lorien Engineering Solutions
Renewable Waste and Energy is a fast-growing sector for Lorien Engineering Solutions, with expertise in Waste Recycling Facilities, Waste Transfer Stations, Biogas, Biomass Heating, Composting, and Combined Heat and Power.
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Lyreco
Lyreco hosted a Water Audit to identify where efficiencies could be made at their site in Donnington, Telford. They have reduced their water consumption by 10% in 3 months.
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Michelin Tyre plc
Michelin Tyre plc is a global leader in the manufacture of tyres and have a manufacturing site in Stoke-on-Trent. Their project to reduce their carbon footprint required an investment of 70,000 pounds which was paid back through savings on bills etc. in less than 1 year.
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National Grid
In 2003 National Grid House became the new head quarters of the merged Transco and National Grid companies. The company had to find ways to reduce the number of cars taken to work as there was limited onsite parking.
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Oakland International - Severe Weather and Business Continuity
Oakland International, an award winning logistics company, have taken measures to enhance their response to extreme weather events.
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OPEN project: Children's rights and conditions - Activities 4U and summer activities
North Warwickshire Borough Council's Activities 4U and summer activities provide young people with evening activities for their enjoyment and to improve relations between young people and the rest of the community.
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OPEN Project: Children's rights and conditions - Dudley Design 2gether and Play Service
Dudley's D2: Design 2gether is a children and young people play pathfinder decision making panel which helps to shape play spaces in Dudley and its Play Service offers free inclusive activities.
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OPEN Project: Ethnic minorities and immigrants - actions to promote tolerance and respect - Time to Play
Community Integration Partnership (CIP)'s Time to Play is a project designed to enhance play opportunities and activities for newly arrived and host communities in Birmingham. This project is designed to build positive relationships between people from different communities, religious and ethnic backgrounds.
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OPEN Project: Ethnic minorities and immigrants - actions to promote tolerance and respect - Welcome to Birmingham
West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership created a website called "Welcome to Birmingham" which is designed to inform new arrivals to the city about support, service and organisations which may be useful to them. It is available to view in several languages.
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OPEN Project: Families policies - decent housing for all - Developing Dudley's Housing Strategy for Older People
Dudley MBC set up an older persons' group in order to visit and assess a range of housing options. Their assessments have been used to develop Dudley's Housing Strategy for Older People and increase awareness about housing options among older people.
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OPEN Project: Pathways to social and job inclusion for people with disabilities - Shropshire Outdoors
Shropshire Outdoors was developed through the Shropshire Big Lottery Wellbeing Partnership. The project increases physical activity levels by providing 'green exercise' opportunities to those with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health problems. It also addresses barriers to countryside access.
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Parry People Movers Ltd
Parry People Movers Ltd (PPML) supplies lightweight tramway systems for smaller towns and lightweight rail vehicles for use on regional railways. PPML's rail vehicles feature lightweight construction and a hybrid system which dramatically reduces energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional trains.
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Project Green
Keele University is offering support to businesses and graduates via a new fully funded initiative called Project Green. Aimed at graduates who are currently unemployed or at risk of unemployment, the programme aims to give them useful work experience.
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Ricoh UK products - adapting to the impacts of a severe weather event
Ricoh UK products have been considering the impact of extreme weather events on their supply chain and developed a re-manufacturing programme to reduce the need for raw material supplies, therefore reducing their vulnerability.
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Smart Eco Power Systems
Smart Eco Power Systems is based in Stoke-on-Trent and specialises in renewable electrical generation systems. The company has seen a great surge in interest in both the commercial sector in recent months as awareness of renewable energy and the importance of reducing carbon footprint climbs up the political and social agenda.
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Stretton Climate Care
Stretton Climate Care (SCC) is a South Shropshire charity with a principal aim of addressing climate change through reducing carbon emissions in their locality offering a free household energy audit service. SCC has given awareness raising talks to approximately 40 local organisations and the local schools and conducted over 300 free household energy audits which have resulted in significant reductions in carbon emissions. They work closely with the Town Council to help them reduce their energy consumption. SCC initiates activities and campaigns to engage their community in the need to tackle climate change and carbon emissions.
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Sudden Impact computer services - adapting to the impacts of a severe weather event
Sudden Impact computer services have developed a business continuity plan to allow them to continue running their business as usual during extreme weather events.
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Sudden Impact Computer Services Ltd
Sudden Impact Computer Services Ltd is a printer repair and service specialist based in North Staffordshire. They have reduced the amount of printer related waste which gets sent to landfill by repairing, reusing, refurbishing and recycling office printing equipment.
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SURGE - The Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration
SURGE provides high quality, evidence-based applied research, consultancy, education and training services to the public, private and voluntary sectors to support business and society in achieving sustainable regeneration through economic and social development.
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Swish Building products - adapting to the impacts of severe weather events
Swish Building products manufacture PVC fascias, soffits and guttering and have recently developed a flood risk management plan to help them be prepared and ready for the potential impact from an extreme weather event.
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Switch it Off - Coventry
Coventry's Switch it Off campaign is an energy saving campaign with a focus on an annual Switch it Off week. Its aim is to make everyone from businesses, organisations, schools and individuals aware of the amount of energy and money that can be saved by turning things off when not needed.
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Tap into Savings
Tap into Savings is a major national water and energy saving project launched on 9 July 2010 in Coventry. The project will visit 2,000 homes in Tile Hill, Canley and surrounding areas, helping households save around 15% of their water without spending any money.
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Telford Extrusions
Telford Extrusions is part of the Epwin group which is the UK's second largest PVC-U and PVC-UE extruder. The company learnt that they could save on sewer charges by showing that during the manufacturing process water is lost through evaporation rather than via the sewer.
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The Carbon Challenge: Staffordshire County Council
Staffordshire County Council engaged staff through "the Carbon Challenge" training programme, in order to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change.
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The Midcounties Co-operative and UKCIP's Adaptation Wizard
This case study summarises the work Midcounties undertook with UKCIP to plan how to adapt to climate change using the methodology outlined in the UKCIP Adaptation Wizard.
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Warmer Worcestershire
The Worcestershire Partnership brings together local government, public services as health, learning providers, police and probation, voluntary and community organisations and local businesses within Worcestershire.
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Waste Matching diverting waste from landfill
Harper Adams University College used an online forum to ask for a solution to their waste packaging problem and found that Ricoh UK Products could help them. This is an example of how organisations can work collaboratively to become more sustainable. Even small one off solutions can save money and be better for the environment.
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Web-based Energy Case Studies Across the Dudley Borough
To showcase good practice in energy saving and renewable energy generation, the Dudley Community Partnership has developed an on-line facility which hosts relevant case studies from across the Borough.
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Wood Energy Strategy
The West Midlands Wood Energy Strategy sets out the West Midlands vision for wood energy and a strategy for action. The co-ordination for delivery of this strategy was actioned through the Wood Energy Task Group (WETG) which initially comprised of the original partners but extended to a wide network of policy makers and planners, installer and supply companies and woodland owners and managers.
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WWRD (Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton) United Kingdom Limited
WWRD United Kingdom Limited, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire is a leading provider of luxury home and lifestyle products sold under a number of well-recognized brands, including Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton. WWRD use a high quality luxury gift box which they have re-designed to alleviate H&S issues whilst at the same time making both financial and environmental savings for the company.
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