Since 2022 businesses across Waterford have been rewarded for prioritising energy efficiency through the Commercial Rates Energy Discount Scheme.
25% of greenhouse gas emissions in Waterford come from businesses and Waterford City and County Council want to help businesses to reduce their emissions and costs.
The Council are working towards reducing emissions from our own operations by 51% by 2030 and this year we are asking businesses to pledge to take specific actions to reduce their environmental impact too. We are also collecting energy cost data so we can quantify the impact of all these actions across the next few years.
The Commercial Rates Energy Discount Scheme will now be known as the
Business Pledge for a Cleaner, Greener Waterford and businesses that complete this year's requirements will receive a 9% discount after the deadline, once it is verified that all requirements have been met. Waterford is the only county in Ireland delivering such an initiative and businesses and the Council working together in the coming years will hopefully make Waterford the most sustainable place in Ireland to do business. A short video
here.
Pledges
There are a choice of environmental actions that you can pledge to. You will need to make 2 pledges. Here is an example of some of the pledges that a rates payer who does not own their premises can make. There are further pledges available if you own the building and thus are in a position to make physical / structural changes to the building.
- Create and publish on our website an Environmental Policy for your business setting out your goals for saving energy, reducing waste and avoiding wasting water. This policy should also be communicated to staff regularly
- Run an energy-saving campaign with staff. Educating staff on the big energy users in your business - include regular collection of ideas from staff as to how to make your SME sustainable
- At least one member of staff to complete energy management training such as the online SEAI Academy free course on energy improvements in business
- Replace aging equipment with energy efficient alternatives - the Accelerated Capital Allowance scheme allows businesses to receive a tax incentive for buying efficient equipment
- Install equipment to save water such as tap aerators or water butts
- Reduce the amount of waste produced by your business by at least 15%
- Provide Eco Driving training to staff who drive regularly as part of their job - there may be a benefit to your company in your insurance premiums from this.
- If leasing vehicles or buying new vehicles choose sustainable alternatives - electric vehicles or biodiesel
*Food businesses only: Run initiatives in house to reduce food waste
*Food businesses only: facilitate your customers' own refillable mugs for hot drinks, make it easy to make the more sustainable choice and move away from disposables. Businesses should expect to reduce the disposables they buy by at least 25%
*Food businesses only: Allow the public to refill their water bottle in your premises and add your business to the Tap Map to let patrons know.
Other - please provide details of a proposed project that will save energy/reduce waste/save water
The Business Pledge for a Cleaner, Greener Waterford is open to hospitality and leisure sectors and all businesses with an annual rates bill of 10,000 euros or less. You must be paying commercial rates to avail of the discount.
The deadline for completion of the pledge and payment of rates is Friday 18th October 2024 at 23:55.
Checklist for applicants:
- Rates Customer Account Number (your account number is displayed on your annual rates invoice).
- LAID number (your Laid number is displayed on your annual rates invoice)
- To avail of the discount accounts must also be fully paid by 23:55 on 18th October 2024 or are in an agreed Direct Debit payment plan. The credit will be applied after the deadline once the requirements have been met.
- While the system allows users to start multiple draft entries, only one complete entry per each Rates LAID should be submitted.
Email commercial rates related queries to: rates@waterfordcouncil.ie