Second year for Environmental award for work with residents and businesses

07 Dec 2022

Environmental work to help residents and businesses cut carbon emissions and save money, has seen West Suffolk Council win an award for the second year running.

West Suffolk Council, which is working to reduce its own carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and influence residents and businesses to make similar steps, has again been named Regional Council of the Year in the Energy Efficiency Association, East of England Energy Efficiency Awards.

The award recognises West Suffolk’s work to insulate park homes across West Suffolk with work carried out at 150 to date. It is expected that the insulation work undertaken at the homes across sites including Beck Row and Shepherds Grove near Stanton, will cut carbon emissions by 500 kg per year. On top of this it is also saving each household on their energy bills. The park homes were selected as they were recognised as being less energy efficient than other types of homes, while the residents who live there tend to be on low incomes.

A second phase of these works is now underway with West Suffolk Council looking to insulate another 150 park homes between now and next March. Both the completed works and the second phase are being delivered using £1.4m of Government funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) secured under the Green Home Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme. Residents looking to benefit from the scheme can apply through the Warm Homes Suffolk website.

West Suffolk Council also runs the Solar for Business scheme which has installed more than 10,000 solar panels at 63 business premises, saving them a collective £125,000 a year in reduced energy costs and cutting their carbon emissions by 900 tonnes per year. The scheme is free to businesses with the Council taking care of installation and maintenance costs.

Alongside this work, West Suffolk Council also offers Greener Business Grants which can see local businesses awarded up to £1,000 for eligible energy efficiency measures.

Cllr Andy Drummond, Cabinet Member for Regulatory and Environment at West Suffolk Council said: “Our priority for healthy families and communities is at the heart of our work to support residents, particularly those who are on low income, to live in healthier, more energy efficient homes. The cost of living has highlighted the wider benefits of environmental improvements like insulation and renewable energy. I highly recommend a look at the Warm Homes Suffolk website to see the help available to local households.

"The link between health and air quality is also clear. The council continues to create more electric vehicle charge points in council owned car parks, and last year we planted 318 trees. And we are working to help make it easier for businesses to make huge cuts in carbon emissions alongside financial savings, all for the benefit of the local environment that we all share. I am delighted to see part of our environmental work recognised with this award but of course there is still much more that we want to do to deliver even more cuts to carbon emissions as well as helping residents and businesses save money.”

Anyone wishing to find out more about Solar for Business, the Greener Business Grant or the other support available should call 01284 757622 or email environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk

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