News and Press Releases - archive 3
December 7, 2007
Proudlock Access Consultants on
Trafalgar Square Exhibition
The typical Victorian terraced house – home to so many Londoners – is not the most energy-efficient design, as it can emit six tones of CO2 in one year. How this can be reduced is demonstrated at a specially designed, life-size eco-house in Trafalgar Square. The exhibition house named ‘No.1 Lower Carbon Drive’ will tour the capital to promote the new services, and to showcase ideas to ‘green’ your home.
This unusual and practical exhibition is open to everyone – and it is fully accessible. Leading disability consultancy Proudlock Associates assessed the plans and drawings for the project and then advised on changes that would make it easier for a wide range of disabled people to use the space.
The Proudlock team wrote an access guide for people working at the exhibition, advising them about the things they could do to support disabled visitors. They made sure that barriers were removed and design of the exhibition included everyone, not just people in wheelchairs but those with sensory and invisible impairments too.
Tracey Proudlock said, “It’s been incredibly worthwhile and rewarding for everyone at Proudlock Associates to work with such a talented team of people who have put this exhibition together. Lowering carbon emissions is everyone’s responsibility. It was a great opportunity for us to contribute as the access consultants to this innovative project. As the exhibition is accessible to disabled people, it means that we can all learn more about reducing our carbon footprint.”
No.1 Lower Carbon Drive provides practical advice on reducing carbon emissions through simple refurbishments and changing habits, rather than rebuilding.
The exhibition launched the UK’s first ‘green homes’ service to help Londoners cut climate change emissions by offering an easy, one-stop-shop for information on how to make homes more carbon efficient.
The flagship London Green Homes service will offer a free comprehensive telephone advice service, a free website and a paid-for green ‘concierge’ service to provide a hassle-free tailor-made package of carbon saving lifestyle.
Sixty per cent of London’s housing was built before 1945, compared to 40 per cent nationally so it is less energy efficient than the UK average. Over £4m has been allocated to the Green Homes programme in 2007-08 and it aims to cut 500,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year by 2010.
Notes for Editors:
- Proudlock Associates, PO Box 55248, London N22 9DY
- To find out more about the exhibition please visit the website http://www.londonclimatechange.co.uk/greenhomes/about-this-website/one-lower-carbon-drive/
- For media enquiries, please contact Siobhán Crozier on 07831 214352.
December 3, 2006
Disability equality schemes go live!
December the 3rd is International Day of Disabled Persons. This day, which is an annual event, aims to promote understanding of disability issues and rally support for the dignity, rights and well being of disabled people. This year also coincides with the launch of public bodies Disability Equality Schemes. December 4th is the deadline by which the UKs 45,000 public bodies must publish their schemes to outline how they will develop measures to promote changes in attitude towards disabled people and remove barriers which can exclude people.
Tracey Proudlock, founder of leading disability consultants, Proudlock Associates says “We have spent much of 2006 working with public bodies to develop their Disability Equality Schemes (DES). From 4th December, as public bodies publish their DES, much of our joint working will be available online, for example see our work with the Haringey TPCT, www.haringey.nhs.uk. In Haringey, our successful partnership has delivered the TPCT User Involvement Report, which provides interesting and insightful suggestions as to how the TPCT could improve its services.”
The theme for this year's International Day of Disabled Persons is accessibility to information technologies, and the day will be referred to as E-Accessibility Day. Proudlock Associates work in an open and innovative way with clients and are proud to make their work accessible and available on line.
For media enquiries, contact Siobhán Crozier on 07831 214352.
To discuss a project relating to disability and access, contact Tracey Proudlock on 0208 375 3674 or 07921 776361. www.proudlockassociates.com
Notes for Editors:
- http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disiddp.htm. Read more about the UN International Day of Disabled People.
- There are around 10 million disabled people in Britain. Disabled people have an annual spending power of £80 billion a year.
- The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires public bodies (almost 45,000 in total) to produce by December 4th Disability Equality Plans/Schemes outlining how they will remove barriers that can exclude disabled people.
- There are a total of 2.1 million service providers in the UK affected by part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act to provide equal access to goods and services.
- For guidance on how to begin to remove barriers immediately, free downloads are available from Proudlock Associates on http://www.proudlockassociates.com/downloads/Improving_Access.pdf