The latest event to be organised by the Tourism and Environment Forum was a 'Green' Heating Workshop held on 2nd March 2006.  The event was open to all tourism businesses and was advertised through VisitScotland's e-bulletin to tourism businesses, through the Association of Scottish Self Caterers' (ASSC) website, and to all Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) members within striking distance of Inverness.  Thankfully, 35 delegates managed to attend despite the wintry weather and poor travelling conditions.

The aim of the workshop was to highlight the benefits of using more environmentally friendly and more sustainable methods of heating. Topics covered were as follows:

• Gavin Taylor of Everwarm Inverness started the day by giving a presentation on the use of Solar Panels and explained how solar panels can provide 50-70% of hot water requirements over a year. He noted that 29% of all carbon dioxide emitted in the UK is created by households and that household energy consumption has risen 25% in the last 25 years!
• Victoria Sutherland of Glencoe Cottages then gave a talk on the advantages of using a Biomass system - Victoria's cottages are heated using a wood-fired system that is considerably cheaper than a conventionally fuelled one, is a good selling-point for the properties and is liked by customers.
• Leona Coghill of Ice Energy Scotland was next to take the stand and told the delegates about ground source heat pumps - a system that works a bit like a fridge, taking heat from pipes laid 1m below the ground, compressing it and then moving it to heat buildings.
• Ken Bamborough of Highland Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (for domestic properties) gave some advice on where to start: looking at your current heating system, understanding it and identifying what you can do to change it- often we are paying for energy we do not actually need! 
• Stephen Cribb of the Energy Saving Trust (gives advice for commercial properties in Highland) rounded up the day by discussing funding sources, grants available and where to get funding advice.

The event proved to be a huge success and our thanks go to the presenters.  Hopefully we can look forward to further related events in the future.

To view note of meeting by Caroline Eccles of TEF click here

For more information:
Energy Efficiency Advice For Scotland
Energy Saving Trust
Highland Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
Hospitable Climates
Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company
Highlands and Islands Woodfuel Development Programme
Ice Energy Scotland