Manchester city council is embarking on an ambitious plan to tackle global warming by controlling all aspects of the city’s energy supply by 2020. Report – Guardian 31 Jan

Excellent news, that will put it in the league of other cities around the world with similar aspirations.

As it appears to be a daunting goal, the council has produced a strategy which includes bite-size targets in three key areas; commercial, domestic and transport.

However, will this drive  improvement in the energy and domestic and commercial built environment sectors ?  Will universities, academia and collages in the region gear up to be able to deliver the skills required – (the track record dosen’t look good).

Also that date 2020 – how does that tie in with all the other milestones for acheiving zero or low carbon in the built environment sector?