Tower Hamlets council takes Environmental Services Award

Tower Hamlets council’s Sustainable Development Team took top prize at the Local Government Chronicles (LGC) Awards 2018, winning the Environmental Services Category for the Tower Hamlets Carbon Fund.
The fund is a planning obligations payment for offsetting carbon emissions from new build developments and it allows the council to comply with regulation change, reduce carbon emissions, generate revenue, eradicate fuel poverty, prioritise the local community and lead by example.
The fund has delivered a number of projects including:
Project Earth Rock: primary school curriculum-based learning through music, aimed at instilling environmental values and educating young children on the importance of looking after the environment to inspire them and to protect it in future.
Schools Carbon Reduction: two programmes, through which we have helped 17 schools in the borough with energy efficiency projects; investing £405,000 in total helping the schools to save energy, reduce energy costs and improve thermal comfort in classrooms.
WARMTH: match-funded by British Gas and delivered by Groundwork London, this project  provided a package of energy measures to improve energy efficiency in the home, with the aim of alleviating fuel poverty and maximising incomes for those particularly impacted by welfare reforms.
Boiler Replacement Programme:  a scheme targeted at owner-occupier homes to replace old inefficient gas boilers and faulty radiators as well as upgrade heating controls. In addition to any boiler replacements, residents may also be eligible for draught proofing and insulation.
Tower Hamlets council’s Service Manager for Energy and Sustainability, Abdul J Khan, said:
“It feels fantastic that the team have received this prestigious award for the Tower Hamlets Carbon Fund. The council is pleased it gained national recognition by winning the award as the fund is an innovative use of section 106 funding to deliver essential projects in the borough to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. We are leading by example and delivering projects that are benefiting our local community and our schools.”
Two further schemes are being launched this summer. The Green Business Fund is a grants programme for Small Medium Enterprise (SMEs) in the borough to improve the energy efficiency of their businesses in the borough. The Community Solar Project will make available grants for communities to install renewable energy technologies in buildings.
The Council is running various other projects to help our residents become more energy efficient for further information please visit our website: https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/environment_and_waste/sustainability/sustainability.aspx