Blackburn car dealership leads energy-saving drive (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Blackburn car dealership leads energy-saving drive
3:18pm Monday 18th June 2012 in Business
A LUXURY car dealership is leading a charge to make an East Lancashire business park the most energy efficient in the country.
Bowker BMW has invested £70,000 to install more than 200 solar panels on the roof at its premises on Trident Park, in Blackburn, becoming one of the largest firms in the area to use the energy-saving technology.
The installation, which was carried out by Burnley firm Speakman Contractors, will generate more than £420,000 in fuel bills savings and revenue over the next 25 years.
And the CO2 saving has been calculated at almost 500 tons, according to a contractor.
Bowker BMW joins other organisations like Burnley College and Pendle Borough Council to go green.
Since the business was located in Accrington, they have been recycling glass, cardboard and even rubber tyres which are reconstituted for re-use including flooring for children's playgrounds.
Bowker Blackburn dealer principal Chris Eccles said: “This is a significant investment for Bowker BMW. But one we thought would be especially worthwhile. Austerity in the current climate is important to businesses of all sizes, and the long term savings are beyond question. But when you start talking about almost 500 tonnes of CO2 saved over 25 years, it really hits home."
The installation took just over a week. Each of the panels measures 1.6sqm and covers an area half the size of a penalty area on a football pitch.
Christopher Speakman, joint managing director of Speakman Contractors said: “The Bowker installation is amongst the largest in our portfolio.
"If other dealerships follow Bowker's lead, it would be great to see Trident Park established as an environmental flag bearer and the most energy efficient motor park in the country."
WH Bowker Ltd was founded in Blackburn in 1919. The group acquired Clock Garage, Accrington, in 1989. A new facility was built in Hyndburn Road, Accrington, in 1987 before it relocated to new state-of-the-art premises on Trident Park in April 2006. It employs 78 people.
