IHBC members who work in the construction field may be interested in the new datasets being collected by the ONS, whose latest survey work of 40,000 businesses in manufacturing, energy production, construction and waste collection aims to quantify the contribution of the green economy to society.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) writes:
How many UK businesses are involved in the production of low carbon and renewable energy and how much does the sector contribute to the economy as a whole? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is launching a major new survey that will assess the value of the ‘green economy’.
The Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economic Survey is part of ONS’s work to value areas of the economy not captured by traditional indicators. Its findings can help to inform policies on jobs, growth and investment.
Glenn Everett, Director of the Measuring National Well-being programme, said: ‘The use of green energy is rising and is now around six times higher than it was two decades ago. ONS’s mission is to create the most comprehensive picture of the UK economy, so it’s important to measure the impact this growing sector is having.’
In 2012, 9.6 Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) of energy was consumed from renewable and waste sources, 4.5% of total energy consumption in the UK. This has grown steadily from 1.3 Mtoe 1990.
The new survey has been welcomed by many involved in the environment sector, who say it will provide important information. Will McDowall, from University College London’s Energy Institute said: ‘This new survey will provide much-needed, robust evidence on the strength, size and dynamics of Britain’s low-carbon and renewable energy sectors. It will provide crucial insight into understanding how the UK economy is responding to the challenges of developing new, low-carbon and renewable energy industries.’
View the ONS news release and more information on the surveys
Browse current ONS statistic sets by theme
