Low Carbon

The low carbon supply chain across Greater Manchester currently employs over 34,000 people across 1,900 companies and is expected to grow organically by 4% per annum.

Given the sector’s significance to the region’s economy, the ten Greater Manchester local authorities have come together under the leadership of the Greater Manchester Environment Commission to develop a combined programme that aims to accelerate the pace at which the existing buildings of Greater Manchester can be retrofitted, creating jobs, facilitating business growth and increasing productivity.

This programme, Manchester’s Low Carbon Economic Area delivery plan, is underpinned by Manchester’s leading research capabilities, many of which can be found on the Corridor.

The Corridor is home to The Joule Centre for energy research and development which is a partnership of North West universities, commercial organisations and other stakeholders associated with the energy industry. The centre brings together the extensive knowledge base from academia and industry to significantly increase the region’s research capabilities in sustainable energy technologies and energy systems.

The Corridor – A Low Carbon Laboratory

As part of the Low Carbon Economic Area delivery plan, the Corridor has now been designated a Low Carbon Laboratory, a place where innovative technology to help tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions will be developed and tested.

As an open laboratory where scientists can work together with both public and private sector research companies, the Corridor is at the heart of development, testing, experimenting and measuring the impact of initiatives to help combat the effects of climate change and reduce carbon emissions.

There are a number of scientific studies underway on the Corridor including;

• i-trees – a series of nine plots gathering quantitative data to compare the impact of trees and green space with asphalt on temperature and rain water run-off – a cause of flash flooding

• Retro-fitted green roofs that are testing the effects of different types of natural covering on a variety of issues such as the amount of heat escaping from buildings and attracting wild life into the City.