In summary
- The first stage of an online strategy to put climate concern on the business agenda
- Consultancy encompassing information architecure, audience analysis and online branding
- Technical development of a scalable web platform: Microsoft Content Management Server and Commerce Server, Verity Ultraseek and Skelta Workflow.NET
- Customisation of search technology to enable cross-selling
In full
cScape has completed the first phase of an ambitious web development strategy for the Carbon Trust, creating a website that demonstrates best practice and awakens business to the cost of climate change and carbon emissions.
www.carbontrust.co.uk consolidates earlier web offerings and is the first project in an online programme to increase awareness of carbon issues and establish environmental concerns on the business agenda.
"cScape has provided us with a strong technical structure and flexible, engaging design that will enable us to expand and enhance the website over the next period of its development,” said Kate Smyth, Carbon Trust web manager.
cScape worked closely with the Carbon Trust on information architecture and taxonomy, while the agency’s design studio has redefined the Carbon Trust brand identity online – and its technical consultants have added a new dimension to search functionality.
Reaching target audiences
The Carbon Trust is using the web to communicate with diverse audience groups. cScape has focused on identifying, engaging and retaining key target audiences – segmenting information and structuring the navigation to guide users intuitively to the site areas relevant to their interests. cScape has also strengthened the online brand identity of the Carbon Trust, creating a common design language that presents information in a clean blue and white design framework.
"Creating a website capable of addressing a global issue like climate change has been a unique challenge for cScape. The ease with which businesses can obtain information, download and order publications and apply for funding show that phase one is a success. The new website will allow Carbon Trust to deepen its relationship with its target audiences,” said Rob Killick, CEO, cScape.
Applying search technology
The Carbon Trust site houses the UK's biggest online collection of free independent energy efficiency publications, but only had partial site search facilities previously. Users can now find information easily due to the implementation of a Verity Ultraseek search engine. Search also plays a vital role in site functionality that addresses the Carbon Trust’s business objectives.
cScape has reconfigured Ultraseek to enable the Carbon Trust to cross-sell related products and services – including events and publications – across the Carbon Trust website more easily. The agency has created a search tool that allows web authors to find and publish links to related content from other areas of the website. Carbon Trust authors can search for events, publications and case studies relevant to the page they are creating – or to promote a specific area of the site. They can search by content type, keyword, topic and category. When selected the search results appear as links from dedicated promotion spots on the web page.
Phase one also sees the enhancement of the online shopping basket system for ordering publications from the site. Users can download publications as .pdfs or order printed copies – and the system automatically sends orders directly to a mailing house. The new website will ultimately connect to the Carbon Trust’s new customer relationship management system.
Site users can register for events including interactive energy management workshops across the UK. Trade and professional bodies can apply online for Networks Initiative grants to fund programmes to reduce carbon emissions. Business and institutions can apply online for Applied Research grants up to £250,000 to develop low carbon technologies.
Planned development work on the new site also includes a knowledge centre that will provide background information on carbon issues and other areas of the Carbon Trust work, leveraging an extensive body of intellectual property that will be filtered by the new search.
About the Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust works with UK business and the public sector to cut carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies. An independent company set up by Government to help the UK meet its climate change obligations, the Carbon Trust creates practical business-focused solutions to carbon emission reduction on energy efficiency, carbon management, and investment.
The Carbon Trust's annual funding is in excess of £69m in grants from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and Invest NI.
The Carbon Trust also promotes the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) Scheme for energy saving investments on behalf of Defra and manages the associated Energy Technology List. This ECA scheme is a tax relief that enables businesses to claim 100% first-year capital allowances on investments in energy saving equipment listed on the approved Energy Technology List. Further details on qualifying products and ECAs are available at www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/eca
For advice on energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions contact the Carbon Trust on 0800 085 2005 or visit www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy
Further information:
Megan Codling
Megafone Communications Ltd
megan@megafonecomms.co.uk
Mb 07795 848586