A £2.1m partnership between E.ON’s energy efficiency business and Edinburgh City Council is set to reduce on-site energy costs by 24% at nine public buildings, as part of the city’s overarching aim to reduce carbon emissions by more than 40% by 2020. The agreement means that E.ON’s energy efficiency business Matrix will guarantee savings from the implementation of energy conservation measures such as LED lighting and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems at buildings including seven schools, the Usher Hall and UNESCO World Heritage Site the City Chambers. The upgrade programme is designed to save more than £330,000 in energy costs and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,500 tonnes per year. he project is a key initiative of Edinburgh City Council’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan that aims to reduce carbon emissions across the city by more than 40% by 2020. The Council’s 2020 objectives include more efficient energy consumption across all sectors by at least 12%, and renewable energy technologies contributing to at least 40% of energy consumed in the city. Last year, Edinburgh Council confirmed plans to install community-owned solar panels on 25 public buildings across the city. Edinburgh is not the only Scottish city with ambitions of becoming a world-leading centre for sustainable policy and innovation. Glasgow City Council partners with a number of businesses on diverse sustainable projects, which provide job creation and green capital growth. Glasgow recently ranked inside the global top 25 cities for environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, Aberdeen has become the first city in Europe to offer hydrogen powered cars for public use on a pay-as-you-go basis, as part of the City Council’s next step in expanding hydrogen infrastructure in the city. Plans to drill a deep geothermal well beneath the city of Aberdeen could deliver heating to thousands of nearby homes and an exhibition centre.