Louth CC secure a national award
LATEST ACCOLADE RECOGNISES EFFORTS IN ENERGY SAVING WORK
LOUTH County Council has been recognised for its commitment to energy saving projects across the county with a Special Recognition Award for Innovation in Social Housing and the Community at this year’s Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) All Ireland Community & Council Awards.
The accolade recognises the large-scale energy saving projects delivered by Louth County Council between 2015 and 2017. Over that time more than 560 homes in Dundalk and Drogheda received energy upgrades.
Upgrade works have also been carried out in in a number of sporting facilities, community buildings, churches and public-sector organisations. The work has resulted in energy savings of some €600,000 per year.
The Council adopted an integrated and collaborative model for providing improved insulation, lighting, energy efficient heating systems and smart heating controls simultaneously across a number of properties to maximise the economies of scale, and the efficiency of the works. The projects were undertaken with the assistance of €2.4 million in funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland’s Better Energy Communities Programme and energy credits from Bord Gais Energy, and through partnerships with Kingspan, Climote and Dundalk Institute of Technology (Netwell/CASALA research centres).
Commenting, Louth County Council’s Chief Executive, Joan Martin said: “The promotion of sustainable energy initiatives and energy saving projects where Louth County Council is a leader rather than just a player is one of the Council’s corporate goals.
‘Our approach is to provide more energy efficient homes, while at the same time to promote economic activity and to sustain and create jobs throughout the county. We have worked hard to achieve this since the establishment in 2014 of the energy office and we are delighted that as a result Louth County Council has been recognised as a leading local authority in providing energy-efficient social housing.
“This domestic work has been carried out in semi-detached and terraced social housing units that were built between the 1970s and the 1990s. For our tenants, the upgrade has resulted in more comfortable living conditions and reduced energy costs. The benefit to the environment, and to the wider community, is reduced carbon emissions from Louth County Council’s housing stock.
“Louth County Council’s energy efficiency upgrade work is an ongoing project and we encourage organisations, businesses and community groups to contact our Energy Team on 042-9324371 or email energy@louthcoco.ie to explore how they can participate and benefit from this.”