Exeter City Council has today announced plans to invest £1 million in a programme of projects at council buildings to become more energy efficent.

The projects include the installation of low energy hand driers and the phasing out of paper towel dispensers at the Civic Centre, thought to make savings of more than £10,000 a year

A heating replacement project is also underway to replace the old incumbent boilers at the Civic Centre, realising significant financial and carbon savings.

The City Council’s programme also will see photovoltaic solar panels installed at some of its car parks, on top of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, at the Corn Exchange and on a number of other buildings.

The latest announcement builds on the installation of solar panels on the Civic Centre, Oakwood House Offices, The Ark Museum Store, Belle Isle Nursery and the Council’s Materials Reclamation Facility last year which the Council have already made savings of nearly £48,000

Other initiatives have included the installation of LED lights at the Civic Centree and at a number of Car Parks which is expected to save the City Council more than £64,000 a year by reducing electricity consumption and maintenance costs as well as improve the lighting levels.

Cllr Ollie Pearson, Lead Councillor for Enabling Services said: "Through the uptake of low energy technologies, we are not only reducing dependence on fossil fuels, we are also protecting the Council against rising energy costs, to become energy secure and save the council tax payer thousands of pounds a year.

"With the government constantly cutting our funding, reducing our operational costs is crucial if we are to protect key frontline services."