Held at Queen’s Unveristy’s Riddel Hall, symposium attendees were updated on the latest sustainability solutions for the Housing Executive as Northern Ireland’s largest landlord and strategic housing authority.
Speakers at the event included Piers Williamson, Chair of Sustainability for Housing (SfH) and Angus Kerr, Director of Climate Change at the Department for Communities.
A panel discussion also included Dr Patrick Keatley, co-founder of energy monitoring start-up NEMO, Martin Collins, Director of H&A Mechanical, Hermione Crease CEO, Purrmetrix, which builds tools that make it quicker and easier to measure building performance and manage decarbonisation, and Emma Stubbs, Assistant Director of Sustainable Homes at the Housing Executive.
Housing Executive Chief Executive, Grainia Long, said: “For the first time in almost 25 years the Housing Executive has completed six new homes built to Passivhaus standards, which deliver significantly reduced energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint and improved thermal comfort for the householders.
“This award-winning scheme has demonstrated that housing bodies, in collaboration with local industry, can provide new social houses which are better for our tenants and kinder to the planet.”
Another example highlighted at the event was the Low Carbon Programme, which has so far seen the retrofitting of over 100 homes.
In collaboration with the energy sector and local construction companies, this innovative programme introduces low carbon heating options and renewable energy to help lower bills in Housing Executive homes and provide a healthier environment.
Also launched at the event was the Northern Ireland Home Energy Conservation Authority (HECA) annual progress report, revealing an investment of over £60m across all housing sectors to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
You can view the HECA 2024 Annual Progress Report below:
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