Council’s Housing Team embraces green technology
The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Housing Team is pioneering a range of environmentally friendly technologies that provide tenants with major benefits.
As organisations from a variety of sectors mark Wales Climate Week, one Council-led project has been shortlisted for a Welsh Housing Award in the category of Innovation.
That comes after Tai ar y Cyd, which brings together 24 social landlords, the Council, Welsh Government and leading industry experts, also won a Construction Excellence award in the Integration and Collaborative Working section.
It is a bold partnership to deliver affordable, sustainable, and high-quality homes that are energy-efficient, low-carbon, and cost-effective for tenants.
Homes are designed using a standardised pattern book that incorporates advanced building techniques and prioritises the use of Welsh and UK-grown timber – reducing emissions while supporting local supply chains and communities.
Many Council developments also now boast a range of green features, including rainwater harvesting facilities, living walls made out of vegetation, energy efficient heating systems and solar panels.
And recently, a new technology called SolShare was introduced to some apartment buildings owned by the Local Authority.
That helps housing tenants save money on energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
SolShare is a system that splits the energy collected from solar panels on a single roof, like a block of flats, between multiple properties.
If tenants are also signed up for the UK Government Smart Export Guarantee, that sees people paid for surplus green energy they produce, their energy bills can reduce by an average of 73 per cent.
The introduction of this technology has also led to a 30-flat site producing 13.5 tonnes less carbon over a three-month period.
Sandra Perkes, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Public Sector Housing and Tenant Engagement, said: “As a Council, we are committed to not only looking after our tenants, but also protecting the planet.
“We embrace the latest industry advancements to provide people with comfortable, ultra-modern places to call home.
“Environmentally friendly features are a key aspect of this work to help address the Climate Emergency we declared in 2019 and realise our Project Zero Commitment to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2030.
“Our cutting-edge approach is bringing real benefits for people, with tenants often saving considerable sums of money by using the clean energy their developments generate.”
The Welsh Housing Awards take place on Thursday, November 27 at the Mercure Hotel in Cardiff.