A Folkestone & Hythe council housing team has won an award for leading a decarbonisation project to improve the energy efficiency of council-owned homes.
The Asset and Social Housing Decarbonisation staff were judged to be a top team at the Kent Housing Group Excellence Awards on Wednesday (25 September) winning the Asset Management category against stiff competition.
The awards – dubbed the Oscars for the county’s housing sector – celebrated the very best projects, professionals and partnerships across housing in Kent and Medway.
The Folkestone team has led the multi-million pound project to help keep tenants warm in winter and cool in the summer. Work included the installation of measures such as: cavity wall, under floor and loft insulation, ventilation, double-glazed windows, new external doors, high heat retention storage heaters, as well as the installation of air source heat pumps and solar pv panels.
The projects included the retrofit of the former office building Ross House, Folkestone and turning it into the council’s first ‘net-zero’, enabled residential block.
The completed programme will see 425 council homes’ energy rating at EPC C or above in 2025.
Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, Cllr Rebecca Shoob: “We are delighted that the team has received this recognition for their hard work and dedication. The work that has been carried out is making such a difference for our tenants who are seeing their bills reduce and their homes warmer.”
“I am incredibly proud of the work being done by the housing team to not only improve the comfort of our tenants’ homes but also reduce their carbon emissions which benefits us all.”
The winners were announced at an awards ceremony hosted by Becs Wilcox of Kent Housing Group’s (KHG) Events Group.
KHG Chair Brian Horton said: “I know that for KHG members, housing delivery is a passion, not a job.”
“These awards are always special. Over the years the judging panel has been touched by the passion and purpose behind the vital contributions colleagues in housing are making in Kent. The ideas, the innovation and the vision that are demonstrated illustrate the caring side of housing and the drive we have to make a difference.”
“Our housing sector faces considerable challenges but seeing so many success stories gives us enthusiasm for the art of the possible and enables us all to go back to the day job fully inspired by what we have seen and heard today.”
You can find out more about the winners, runner ups and categories on the KHG website.