A Caerphilly project which saw homes transformed into warmer, healthier and more affordable places to live has been recognised at this year’s prestigious Wales Energy Awards, winning the ‘Small Scale Award’.
This award recognises a resident-centred retrofit programme delivered at homes in Cefn Ilan, Abertridwr by Caerphilly County Borough Council, in partnership with contractor Joyner Group and designer Michael Dyson Associates Ltd.
By combining fabric‑first upgrades, renewable technologies and strong resident engagement, the project eliminated damp and mould issues in homes, improved indoor air quality and increased resident confidence in using new systems.
Caerphilly Council was also highly commended at the awards in the ‘Regional Council or Local Authority body of the year’ category. As part of this commendation, judges praised the organisation’s wider energy and decarbonisation programme, which includes its co‑produced resident support and advice programme and its commitment to ensuring residents are active partners in managing their homes. This includes accessible bilingual guidance on heating, ventilation and renewable technologies.
Another distinctive feature of the Council’s programme is its approach to solar energy, with 100% of surplus generation benefits passed directly to residents, helping to tackle fuel poverty and maximise the value of low‑carbon investment.
Cllr Shayne Cook, Caerphilly Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said “This recognition highlights the real impact of putting residents first. By listening to people, supporting them to understand their homes and investing wisely, we are delivering warmer, healthier homes while tackling fuel poverty and climate change together.”
Rob Vokes, Commercial Director for Wales, at Joyner Group added “As a Caerphilly borough-based company, we are incredibly proud to play a part in projects that directly improve the lives of people within our own communities. By using new technologies alongside high-quality retrofit measures, we’re helping to futureproof homes and make them warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. Having local people working on local homes brings a real sense of pride and connection to what we do, and it’s rewarding to see the positive impact these improvements are making for residents across Caerphilly.”
Leah Ainsworth, Architect at Michael Dyson, commented “Working closely with Caerphilly County Borough Council, Joyner’s and the wider consultant team, the retrofit strategy has been developed to balance energy performance improvements with practical construction considerations and resident needs. The result is a co-ordinated approach that highlights the positive impact that well-designed retrofit projects can have on both building performance and residents’ day-to-day lives.”
