Sustainability - the biggest issue we all have to face in the 21^st century. There are some tough targets for government to achieve in the coming years in relation to climate change and its not all about big business making changes. All businesses need to change. But what is out there to help us. There is some support available for businesses who want to make their operations more environmentally friendly and contribute more positively to the sustainability agenda - but not enough businesses are applying or availing of the support available. It could be that the schemes are overly bureaucratic, maybe not marketed well enough or not tailored to suit the needs of those businesses that are hardest to reach. The Chamber is interested if you have any thoughts, examples or incidences where support or assistance might have made a difference. What sort of help do you need and in what areas? Are you aware of the support available? To start you off we have outlined below the main schemes available. Is this enough?

The Carbon Trust is one of the organisations helping businesses to think about renewable energy sources and the installation of efficient energy equipment. Through the Energy Efficiency Loan scheme, SMEs that have been trading for at least 12 months can avail of an unsecured interest free loan of up to £200,000 (repayable over 4 years) for the purchase of energy saving equipment. The loan can be used to upgrade or replace existing equipment with a more energy efficient version, therefore helping to reduce energy costs and the environment. For further information on the loan and to check if you are eligible log on to www.carbontrust.co.uk

The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme is part of the Government's programme to manage climate change. It provides businesses with enhanced tax relief for investments in equipment that meets published energy-saving criteria. The ECA scheme provides businesses with 100% first year tax relief on their qualifying capital expenditure, therefore you can write off the whole cost of the equipment against taxable profits in the year of purchase. To view the equipment that meets the energy saving criteria and for more info log on to www.eca.gov.uk

Invest NI are offering an enhanced energy efficiency programme to help SMEs reduce energy costs. It offers advice and technical services to help businesses identify solutions to specific energy efficiency problems and encourages the implementation of best practise. Businesses who are installing energy saving technologies can avail of grants for 25 % of the project cost, with a maximum grant of £5000 available. To find out if your business is eligible contact the Sustainable Development team at Invest NI or log on to www.investni.com

The DTI's Low Carbon Buildings Programme is open to householders, public, not for profit and commercial organisations. Businesses must provide a holistic approach on reducing carbon emissions from buildings through energy efficiency and by incorporating microgeneration products, such as solar photovoltaics or ground source heat pumps. Grants for 40 -50% of total installation costs are available and this is carried out through a competitive assessment process. For full programme details log on to www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Contact our Information Officer, Seonaid Hughes at 02871262379 with your thoughts.