Making a Bad Building Good
In early 2024, Banbury Youth Homelessness Project were successful in applying for grant-funding for a paid energy audit and Greener Energy Futures were selected to support an assessment of how the organisation could improve its comfort and energy efficiency. Of particular concern were the failed heating and Air Handling systems that meant the organisation was reliant on the air-conditioning system for both heating and cooling, compounded by limited access to fresh air due to the many fixed windows. Staff experienced excessive glare and heat during the summer and struggled to be warm in the winter, and the charity couldn’t afford to divert funding from core services to make the necessary repairs to systems. Greener Energy Futures’ energy audit identified potential for 68% on energy bills and significant potential for improving comfort through projects like:
Investing in solar panels for long-term cost reduction and sustainability
Replacement, openable windows to enable staff to control their own comfort better
Micro-louvres to reduce the heat build up during summer and some of the glare, without compromising visibility
A replacement heating system
New, more efficient light fittings
Following the audit, BYHP were also successful in applying for £84,000 of capital funding for these measures and these have now been implemented. The results have been transformational –
“It is difficult to describe how positive the impact has has been on wellbeing”
“It’s difficult to describe just how positive the impact has been on the wellbeing of the team; staff have been resilient and done a great job, despite the discomfort but are now genuinely delighted to come into the office because they know it’s going to be so much more comfortable. We’re also really optimistic that the new improvements, especially the solar panels, will result in much lower annual energy bills so that we can direct as much of our costs towards supporting young people” said Linda Slide, Chief Executive Officer of BYHP
“Enabling organisations to not only save costs and carbon, but also to deliver better working environments is really gratifying”
Simon Pyne, Director of Greener Energy Futures reflected “Enabling organisations to not only save costs and carbon, but also to deliver better working environments is really gratifying to hear. Our process of Finding energy savings, supporting their Funding, and then Fulfilling them through expert installation partners has helped another customer turn sustainability into reality”