The council has appointed Alice Berry as the new Head of Net Zero.
This is a new role that will head up a Net Zero team to focus on large scale, high-impact decarbonisation projects in the city.
The new team will take forward our ambitions for energy and transport decarbonisation, climate adaptation and biodiversity and will work in partnership with central government, organisations, businesses and communities, to secure investment for large-scale Net Zero projects.
They will support the creation of new affordable, sustainable homes, and be a key part of the Greater Brighton Sussex Energy initiative.
This work will be guided by a citywide energy study commissioned by the council last year which examines practical ways to help Brighton & Hove transition to a low carbon energy system.
Councillor Tim Rowkins, Cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: “The council is responsible for less than 2% of the city’s emissions and we need to urgently tackle the other 98%.
“The Net Zero team will be critical for driving the delivery of a range of infrastructure projects and represents a new focus on high-impact energy system decarbonisation across the city.
“As well as reducing emissions, their work will improve the lives of our residents by lowering bills, improving air quality and building better homes that are fit for the future.”
Alice joins the council from Arup, a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy specialising in the built environment.
Having worked in London and Hong Kong as a geotechnical engineer and designer, more recently she has led teams to improve the sustainability of large infrastructure projects.
These include rail projects, ports and buildings. Alice also volunteers with industry groups working to create better guidance for engineers on implementing sustainability.
Alice said: “Working in the built environment, you notice climate change really happening and I became very interested in what engineering can do to mitigate it.
“Brighton & Hove has a progressive approach to climate change mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity, and the council is very ambitious in tackling its carbon emissions, so I’m looking forward to working to deliver those ambitions.”
Councillor Rowkins added: “Alice brings a range of skills from working on infrastructure projects around the world. I’m excited to be working with her in taking the first steps to creating a Net Zero Team for the council and the city.”
Alice will also oversee the council’s role as lead partner for The Living Coast, the UK’s only urban biosphere, as it renews its biosphere status with UNESCO and delivers its plan for the next 10 years.