A new utilities management strategy could see Birmingham City Council save almost a third of its annual £25million bill, according to a report.
The report to cabinet says progress has been made in tackling gas, electricity and water bills, but proposes more efficiency measures to minimise consumption.
A cost reduction of a third would be equivalent to a halving of overall energy consumption over the period 2012-18 and would also fit into the council’s longer-term aim of reducing its carbon emissions by 60% of 1990 levels by 2027.
This would mirror the target set by Birmingham’s Green Commission for the whole of the city.
Recommendations include creating a specialist utilities management team, an investment-to-save programme for city council buildings and improved energy management through frequent billing and detailed analysis of energy use.
If approved, the Birmingham City Council Utilities Strategy will then be reviewed every 12 months.
Cllr Lisa Trickett, cabinet member for a green, smart and sustainable city, said: 'We want Birmingham to become a leading green city and the robust management of our utility consumption will play a key role in this.
'Despite there being some very good practice in various parts of the council, we’ve had a relatively unsophisticated approach to utilities, but given the massive cuts to local government funding being imposed upon us, we must start operating in a more efficient and coherent way.'
