Milton Keynes Local Businesses and Communities Plan to take Control of their Energy
When the government announced it was looking to fund businesses and communities who had great ideas to better use the energy data we generate every day, the CAPE team pulled together a great solution for better use of local energy.
How the CAPE team formed: Dave Morgan of SmartKlub was helping many cities with their energy management and carbon reduction plans and making real progress with community lead teams. Gerd Kortuem (Prof at OU Data & Computing) was leading a Smart City project with Milton Keynes City Council,” MK Smart” and had arrived at a similar insight that communities hold the key to real city wide energy transformation.
Tech Mahindra, the global digital technology partner was also looking to unite cities in a “coalition” of business partners who can commit to making real change in better use of energy through innovative technologies and data. Prajakt Deotale (Tech Mahindra) invited Dave and Gerd as part of a city teaming project to discuss a better way of all working together.
Dave, Prajakt and Gerd called together the key team members below that would have all the skills to make a really effective bid to government.
The CAPE Team is made of local experts in their individual fields namely:
- SmartKlub – Getting cities and communities to build energy efficient projects together
- Community Action MK – Effective community engagement in Milton Keynes
- Open University – Social Marketing and Big Data Specialists
- Tech Mahindra – Digitally connecting communities and business
- Satellite Applications Catapult – Mapping cities & creating intelligent geospatial solutions
- Milton Keynes City Council – Supporting major projects to secure the long-term economic success and sustainability of the city.
By combining all of these skills and backed by Milton Keynes City Council, local businesses and citizens, the CAPE team submitted a request to build a citywide cooperative of knowledge and projects, online in a website, to help assist communities and businesses to get better deals and advice on heating, power, lighting and lower energy bills.
CAPE also helps local suppliers grow new business by connecting them to new customers and showcasing the best technologies that transform energy reduction and management.
The CAPE Citywide online community cooperative website will be built over the next 18 months and will look at delivering the most powerful and far reaching methods to unite Milton Keynes locals in taking control of their energy use. The CAPE team are interested in meeting and talking to as many local businesses and community groups as possible to shape the CAPE website so that it becomes as effective and useful as possible.
CAPE makes getting involved in energy saving projects easy and fun: “Meet, Learn, Unite, Create and Build New Projects, Save Energy and Help a Friend”.
How does it work? CAPE will work with communities and businesses for an energy makeover. CAPE members will be invited to give their wishes and ideas for schemes such as: solar panels, insulation, or electric cars. The best suppliers will bid to deliver the schemes. By buying as a community group, prices will be lower and quality higher. The project will give local companies the opportunity to become suppliers and so create jobs in Milton Keynes too. Everyone wins!
Do you have a project in your area that CAPE can help? Join CAPE! Let us know by registering your interest here:
Dave Morgan co-CEO SmartKlub