Geelong Sustainability is thrilled to announce its double victory at the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards, securing the prestigious Premier’s Regional Recognition Award and the Industry Leader Award in the Healthy and Fair Society category for our Climate Safe Homes initiative. These awards underscore our commitment to creating climate-safe, comfortable living environments for low-income households, significantly contributing to residents’ health and financial wellbeing.
The accolades were revealed during the awards ceremony on Thursday 23 November. Premier Jacinta Allen personally selected Geelong Sustainability for one of the top two honours of the night, with the other Premier’s Recognition Award going to Assembled Threads.
Geelong Sustainability’s groundbreaking initiative was funded by the Victorian Government’s Climate Change Innovation Grants. Sixteen vulnerable households in the Barwon South-West region were chosen which has someone at risk of serious illness or death from climate extremes. One room in each of these homes was retrofitted to ensure it remained comfortable during both summer and winter extremes. This was done through a variety of measures including draught sealing, insulation, energy-efficient appliances and renewable energy. The outcomes were transformative, with participants reporting increased comfort and health, along with reduced depression and anxiety.
Dan Cowdell, CEO of Geelong Sustainability, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, saying, “Receiving the Premier’s Regional Recognition Award and the Industry Leader Award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the team who came together to work on this project. I wish to thank our past board member Tim Adams who initially came up with the idea, as well as our team and project partners from CSIRO, City of Greater Geelong, Uniting and Ecomaster. We are honoured to be acknowledged for the impact of our Climate Safe Rooms initiative in creating positive change for vulnerable households. We would also like to acknowledge our fellow finalists. It was an honour to meet so many people who are doing amazing work for our community and environment.”
Geelong Sustainability’s initiative not only contributed to happier and healthier community members, but also led to substantial energy savings and lowered gas consumption. The success and cost-effectiveness of the Climate Safe Rooms initiative present a replicable model for similar endeavours, and they are now seeking further support to expand this project, providing assistance to more vulnerable households, and promoting energy efficiency and equality. “The recognition received at the Premier’s Sustainability Awards validates the importance of our work, and highlights the potential for positive impact on communities nationwide. We’re hoping the award will help shine a spotlight on the project and help us find funding to scale it up. We need thousands, actually hundreds of thousands of homes to be upgraded across Victoria and Australia” said Mr Cowdell.
To find out more about the Climate Safe Rooms initiative including access to the final report visit: https://www.geelongsustainability.org.au/climatesaferooms/