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Birimingham wins Corgi award for energy efficiency in housing
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Birmingham City Council has been announced the Winner of the Corgi UK Energy Efficiency Award - Local Authorities 2007.
The prestigious national award ceremony showcased the work of organisations leading the way in the Gas Industry.
Every year, as the country’s biggest social landlord, Birmingham City Council services and maintains more than 150,000 gas appliances in over 63,000 homes.
The council is tackling fuel poverty by replacing outdated, inefficient heating systems with energy saving central heating and band A appliances. These are condensing combination boilers which are more than 90% efficient.
A wide range of renewable energy measures are also being tested such as electric boilers and ground source heat pumps.
The city’s first Eco Neighbourhood is improving the thermal and environmental performance of mainly Victorian housing in the Summerfield area, thereby tackling fuel poverty as a catalyst to creating a sustainable urban neighbourhood.
Birmingham City Council has supported this initiative, managed by Family Housing Association, through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, as well as other complementary funding sources, to support the installation of renewable energy measures (mainly solar thermal water heating systems) in 325 vulnerable and low-income households.
At the end of this solar project the council intends to integrate other micro-generation technologies into the Eco Village, such as ground source heat pumps and wind turbines.
Councillor John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “It is great to see the council being recognised for its work in tackling fuel poverty and addressing energy efficiency in its own homes.
“Last year we completed 99.9 per cent gas servicing to our homes which was a wonderful achievement and will continue to work with our partners to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the city.”
Working with the Birmingham Construction Partnership 16,600 decent homes have been delivered by the end of April 2007; some 14,511 new central heating systems have been replaced over a three-year period from 2004 to April 2007. 2007/08 is set to deliver nearly 3,000 new systems with a further commitment to deliver 3,869 new systems in 2008/09.
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