Technology Carbon reduction 5/5
as energy, transport and water. The
data hub will also support business
growth by creating opportunities
for local enterprises to develop new
projects and services by using and
adding value to the data. The project
as a whole is expected to deliver up
to 20% in water savings, 50% less
traffic congestion, a 2.8% reduction
in electricity consumption and 2%
gas reduction for Milton Keynes.
It is also involved in creating Britain's
first internet-connected road, the A14,
which is a currently a hugely congested
highway. In partnership with Neul and
the Department of Transport, BT will
install a network of sensors along a
50-mile stretch of the road to monitor
traffic by sending signals to and from
mobile phones in moving vehicles.
"Traffic and transport is a big contributor
to carbon emissions.
Putting sensing devices out there to
help manage and understand the traffic,
and therefore congestion, is potentially a
massive contribution towards emissions
reduction at a national level," Moss
explains.
Low carbon process transformation
will be central to delivering not only on
BT's Net Good goal, but the wider Net
Positive agenda if it is to be successfully
scaled up. Moss readily admits working
to such a challenging remit is "a bit of
a rollercoaster ride" but is confident
his company at least will meet, or even
exceed, its 2020 target.
Reflecting on why businesses like his
should be looking to punch so far
above their weight on sustainability
issues, he says: "Society is looking to
business to solve these problems, and
business has an awful lot to lose if it
doesn't. These problems need to be
solved on a global basis … and
businesses can take a global perspective
in a way that can be hard for national
governments to take."
Maxine Perella is a freelance journalist
Society
is
looking
to
business
to
solve
these
problems,
and
business
has
an
awful
lot
to
lose
if
it
doesn't.
