Low-carbon building innovators Sustainable Energy Academy/United House and Monodraught were announced as two of the winners of the 2013 UK Ashden Awards, the UK’s leading green energy prize.
The Awards were presented by co-founder of Forum for the Future Jonathon Porritt at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London, hosted by broadcaster and cultural commentator Emma Freud.
The Sustainable Energy Academy (SEA) and United House were awarded the overall UK Gold Award for the safe, low-fuss interior wall installation process they have developed which is breaking down the barriers to insulating the over 7 million solid-walled homes in the UK. The process uses laser scanning and other standard building trade technologies in a novel way, reducing costs by around 25% and avoiding the need to decant residents, while fuel bills are cut by up to 40%.
The Ashden Judges said: “SEA’s creativity and United House’s experience in delivery have combined to create an affordable, easy-to-install insulation solution that is breaking down the barriers to making the UK’s housing stock more energy-efficient. This could play a major role in reducing fuel poverty by keeping homes warm while radically cutting fuel bills. This successful business partnership could revolutionise the home insulation sector, as well as providing new opportunities for employment in the green economy.”
John Doggart, Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Academy said: “The Sustainable Energy Academy with United House is delighted to have won an Ashden Gold Award. This is the second time SEA has won an Ashden Award, a great honour in itself, and we have also found the Award helps us massively to reach opinion formers and key players, whose buy-in is so critical to successfully insulating the 7 million solid wall properties in the UK.”
Monodraught was awarded the Impax Ashden Award for Energy Innovation for its COOL-PHASE low-energy cooling and ventilation system. The system reduces the running costs of buildings and creates a fresh and healthy indoor environment, while energy consumption is reduced by up to 90% compared to conventional cooling systems.
Nick Hopper, Monodraught Technical Director said: “Winning the prestigious Ashden Awards with our COOL-PHASE system is a real boost for everyone at Monodraught, because the whole company has been involved in its development. Designing and manufacturing sustainable products that reduce energy consumption is a worthwhile objective for all companies – at Monodraught we relish it as our long-term mission.”
Now in their 13th year, the Ashden Awards champion practical, local energy solutions that cut carbon, reduce poverty and improve people’s lives in the UK and developing world.