THE ambitious retrofit programme run by Essex County Council has been recognised with one of four awards at the 2023 ADEPT President’s Awards.

The Harlow and Tendring Retrofit Pipeline for Economic Renewal programme won the Delivering Clean Growth award and was hailed by judges for being “out of the ordinary” and offering “a very specific and tailored approach to a real world problem”.

The Harlow and Tendring Retrofit Pipeline for Economic Renewal programme was funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund and saw 248 residents receive fully funded retrofit qualifications.

Retrofitting is the process of adding additional functionality to existing buildings to make them more sustainable, such as by installing heat pumps or solar panels.

Focussing on two of the county’s Levelling Up priority places (Harlow and Tendring), the programme saw the council partner with the Retrofit Academy CIC (TRA) to deliver qualifications from level 2 to 5.

Whilst support was targeted towards Harlow and Tendring residents, the programme will benefit the whole county, working towards improving the 400,000 Essex properties that need to be retrofitted. It has also helped to enhance an under-developed sector and will continue to address the significant skills shortage in the retrofit space.

By collaborating with ACL Essex, the programme created the UK’s first franchised domestic retrofit training provider — the Retrofit Academy: Essex — which has left a lasting legacy in the county by continuing to deliver TRA’s courses.

The programme also supported local small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to gain new certifications, which will enable them to access multimillion pound government-funded retrofit schemes.

The ADEPT President’s Awards are an annual celebration hosted by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport.

ADEPT represents directors in services such as highways, planning and recycling, with members ranging from local authorities and transport bodies to local enterprise partnerships and corporate partners.

Cllr Lesley Wagland OBE, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning, said: “The ADEPT President’s Awards are particularly competitive, with high-calibre entrants from across the UK. We are thrilled to have received the Delivering Clean Growth award, which demonstrates our commitment to tackling climate change and delivering our net-zero targets.

“The Harlow and Tendring Retrofit Pipeline for Economic Renewal programme was both highly ambitious and innovative in its approach. We are proud that its impact on both individuals and businesses has been formally recognised at such a distinguished ceremony.”

Cllr Tony Ball, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, added: “This project was an excellent example of partnership working. By collaborating with UK experts, TRA, and our local training specialists, ACL Essex, we were able to deliver a programme that was tailored, engaging and insightful in its approach.

“In addition to launching the Retrofit Academy: Essex, the programme also developed a new qualification (Level 3 Award in Domestic Retrofit Training), which will offer exciting learning and development opportunities for years to come.”