Biodiversity/landscaping  

Winner - Clapton Park estate, Hackney, east London, Grass Roof company 

Poppies are more often associated with the fields of Flanders than east London housing estates. But Clapton Park estate in Hackney has now become known as the poppy estate thanks to the Grass Roof Company’s transformation of the area.

The company had never before taken on a grounds maintenance contract but soon became passionate about giving residents a little bit of the countryside on their doorsteps. Wild flowers and native shrubs abound across the estate, encouraging biodi-versity. There are allotments for residents and an approach which aims to reduce herbicide use. The end result is an estate very different from the norm, which both residents and wildlife love.

Finalists

• The Parks, Bracknell English Partnerships
• Cotton Field, New Islington, Manchester English Partnerships
• Coopers Lane community garden London borough of Camden
• Green spaces for people project and St Paul’s Park, Bristol Places for People
• Vacant lot, Shoreditch What If Projects Ltd

Sustainable social housing refurbishment project for multiple schemes  

Winner - J3 Building Futures LLP, C60 project, South London 

If we’re to build a greener future, we need to change consumer behaviour. This housing co-op scheme is a great example of engaging with a community to do just that.

Residents of Sanford Housing Co-op, a single street co-op formed in the late 1960s, wanted to refurbish their homes using the latest green technology.

The result was the C60 project – designed to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent.

Features of the refurbishment include replacing gas boilers with biomass boilers, and installing rainwater butts, roof windows, low-energy lighting and ‘eco-kitchens’.

Finalists

• Brooks Road estate, Plaistow, London Bell Phillips Architects
• Tarn West, Cornwall Coastline Housing
• Rotherhithe estate, London Durkan

Green energy supplier 

Winner - Good Energy 

Small but perfectly formed, all of energy supplier Good Energy’s power comes from wind turbines, small hydroelectric plants, sustainable biomass and solar power. The company is the only supplier in the UK that provides 100 per cent of the energy it supplies from renewable sources – and it reckons it has stopped more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere.

Good Energy has worked to reduce its own energy consumption and everything in its offices is recycled. It is also interested in sharing its expertise with individuals, small businesses and communities who want to generate their own green electricity. The judges thought this was an example of what sustainable excellence should be about: creating good practice and sharing it. 

Commendation 

Energy for all, Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative

The judges felt that this inspirational project deserved a rare commendation, as a community-based energy initiative that built and runs an Oxfordshire wind farm that powers 2,500 homes.

Finalists

• Pimlico district heating undertaking Citywest Homes
• Ecotricity
• Green Energy
• Solarcentury

Low-energy social housing project 

Winner - PRP Architects, St Matthews keyworker flats, Brixton

This project delivered results without being gimmicky and the judges felt that it was cost-effective and easy to replicate.

The 12 keyworker flats in the scheme, developed for Presentation Housing Association, are built in a four-storey block.

The scheme is effectively a massive heat store, with high levels of thermal insulation and air-tightness. Hot water is provided by solar thermal panels backed up with a carbon wood pellet boiler, which is not required for at least half the year. Heating costs run at around £98 per year for each flat, a saving of more than £200.

Finalists

• Primrose Hill, Huddersfield Cartwright Pickard Architects
• Woodbourne Gardens, Wallington, Surrey Lee Evans Partnership LLP
• Banstead Court, Westway Beacons, London Mansell Partnership Housing
• Mid Street, South Nutfield, Surrey Osborne/Raven Housing Trust
• Hockney Green, Andover Zed Factory

Water conservation award 

Winner - Preston water efficiency project, Raven Housing Trust 

This initiative is something that all housing associations could and should be doing: a simple change that can make a huge difference. Raven made use of decent homes refurbishment cash in Preston to install low water consumption toilets and showers.

Raven has combined practical measures, such as water-saving taps and toilets and water butts in all new homes, with a communications campaign that helps tenants change their habits. The judges praised the team for working with the supply chain, and for monitoring the project’s benefits.

Finalists

• Banstead Court, London Mansell Partnership Housing
• Elephant and Castle project Water Works
• ES4’s water-saving WC Green Building Store
• GROW and GROW2 Water Works

Sustainable smaller social housing project (new developments of fewer than 25 homes) 

Winner - Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Angela Carter Close, Brixton 

Metropolitan’s impressive scheme in Lambeth’s most deprived ward shows how social landlords can take sustainability into the inner city. Built on a derelict patch of land once used for drug dealing and prostitution, this nine-home development looks good and ticks a whole range of sustainability boxes.

Features include Warmcell insulation, composting and water recycling facilities, solar panelling and green roofs. Gardens include a stag beetle sanctuary and bat boxes and a community play area which particularly impressed the judges. The scheme stands as a beacon of good practice in an area of real social need.

Finalists

• Wokinggreen homes Greenoak Housing Association
• Elm Tree Mews, New Earswick, York Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust
• Mid Street, South Nutfield Osborne/Raven Housing Trust
• Queens Road, Stourbridge Servite Houses
• Hardy Court, Crewkerne South Somerset Homes

Waste initiative of the year award 

Winner - Target zero, Wates Living Space 

Wates has set itself a very challenging target: zero waste to landfill by 2010. It is slowly but surely moving towards that ambition and pushing up standards for the rest of the industry along the way. Wates Living Space builds and refurbishes 20,000 homes each year and the impact of this initiative is already considerable. The judges commented that Wates has excelled in sharing good practice. They particularly liked the way this initiative involves the construction company’s workforce, supply chain and clients.

Finalists

• Chester Recycling Project Groundwork Cheshire
• Plasterboard recycling British Gypsum
• PVC-U recycling Profile 22 Systems
• Rubbercrete Walltransform
• The Parks, Bracknell English Partnerships

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