Manchester City Council has set out ambitious plans to reduce its carbon emissions over the next three years.

The plans, going before the executive group of leading councillors this week, sets out what the City Council will do up until 2017 to cut its own emissions and help the rest of the city become greener and more sustainable.

The refurbishment of the Town Hall Extension and Central Library aims to cut energy use by a third.

The complex now features high efficiency low carbon technology to heat and power the buildings, a new green roof to increase biodiversity, rainwater harvesters which recycle water for the buildings' toilets and hundreds of smart meters which monitor energy use. Both buildings have received 'excellent' energy rankings by BREEAM – the official international body which assesses buildings' sustainability.

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The City Council also plans to replace 56,000 street lights across Manchester with more efficient LED lighting over the next three years.

A new central management system, which will enable contractors to monitor the street lights in real time so repairs can be carried out more efficiently, is also planned. The work is expected to cut Manchester's street lighting carbon emissions by nearly 60 per cent by the time the project is completed.

The City Council is also developing a civic quarter heat network around St Peter’s Square, enabling businesses and council buildings to access lower carbon energy, and has also received funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change for feasibility work to expand this into a larger area of the city centre.

Around 500 City Council staff have now received Carbon Literacy training to help them be more environmentally friendly at work and home.

(CD/MH)