Green funding advice given at event

AN event to highlight the availability of £40m of funding for sustainable construction and energy businesses throughout Yorkshire and the Humber has been held.

Supply chain support service organisation VEN Management, which connects buyers with smaller businesses, organised the event, aimed at SMEs across the region.

Delegates heard about two competitions for funding in low impact building innovation, met potential collaborators to bid for funding with support from VEN Group, and accessed Business Link support to improve chances of success in funding competitions.

Dr Kerry Mashford, lead technologist at the Technology Stratagy Board, outlined both the ‘Design and Decision Tools’ and ‘Retrofit for the Future’ competitions at the event.

The TSB has allocated £4m to fund highly innovative collaborative proposals for low impact buildings.

Dr Mashford said: “The Government’s targets for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 and non domestic building by 2019, coupled with growing customer demand for lower impact buildings, are creating new growth opportunities for innovative businesses.”

There was also a presentation from Business Link and an exhibition.

VEN, a subsidiary of Yorkshire Forward, hosted the event at Holiday Inn, Doncaster.