What is Green Streets?

Green Streets was launched in January 2008 as a year long experiment that challenged groups of eight "green" streets in eight cities to compete to save the most energy and CO₂ and to win £50,000 for their community.

Sixty four households were given a British Gas energy audit before the experiment began which highlighted problem areas and offered energy efficiency advice. Each street was then given £30,000 to spend on domestic energy saving equipment from energy efficient lightbulbs and insulation to solar panels. Each street also received advice and support from a dedicated local British Gas 'Green Ambassador' and 'Energy Saving Expert.

At the end of the competition the residents had saved an average of 25% on their energy usage and 23% of their CO₂ emissions. Leeds emerged the overall winners with an energy saving of almost 35% and chose to invest their £50,000 winnings in a local charity - Caring for Life. Caring for Life care for vulnerable people in the local community. Pam Parkinson, director of the charity said "British Gas will now be putting in solar panels, loft insulation, energy saving lighting and a new, more efficient boiler which they say could save 11% on our energy bill... all the money we don't spend on fuel bills will go back into the charity and enable us to support many more people who need our help".

If Green Streets was replicated across the UK, these savings could translate to an annual energy bill reduction of £6bn and 35 million tonnes of CO₂ - roughly equivalent to the output of three to four coal-fired power stations and 1/3 of the UK's carbon emission reduction target by 2020.*