2016 EECA Awards winners announced

The 2016 EECA Awards, announced at a ceremony in Auckland last week, have honoured winners in 10 categories for a range of projects across business, community and the public sector. Held every two years, the awards celebrate New Zealand organisations and individuals that demonstrate excellence in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The winner of the Community Award, and the overall Supreme Award, was Project Litefoot Trust, whose LiteClub project helps community sports clubs become more efficient with energy, water and waste. The money saved on energy is then freed up for equipment, coaching and facilities.

Over 710 community sports clubs have signed to LiteClub’s free service, and there is now international interest in replicating the model. So far, the trust has achieved $3.9 million worth of energy savings.

“The LiteClub project is reaching everyday New Zealanders and changing their attitudes to sustainability through their involvement in sports clubs,” said EECA Chief Executive Mike Underhill. “This is an innovative and well-executed project that makes use of sports stars to get attention and support.”

Orora Beverage Cans New Zealand won the Large Energy User Award for an energy management plan which has seen the company’s least efficient site increase productivity by 30%, while the Small to Medium Energy User Award went to organic food distributor Ceres Organics, whose state-of-the-art warehouse and office building has shed 40% off the company’s energy use.

The energy-saving achievements of ANZCO Foods were rewarded with the company taking out the Energy Management Award. ANZCO has achieved a 17% reduction in overall energy use, saving the company $2.6 million each year. Auckland-based Energy Solutions Providers (ESP) meanwhile won the Business Service Excellence Award for energy management programs that have saved the company’s clients more than $18.5 million.

Dr Viv Heslop, the sustainability manager at Panuku Development Auckland, received the Energy Leadership Award. Dr Heslop is credited with pioneering energy efficiency in the regeneration of Auckland’s waterfront.

The Public Sector Award went to Te Puni Kōkiri and Argosy Property for the retrofit of historic Te Puni Kōkiri House in Wellington. The refurbishment has seen the 1940s building transformed into one of New Zealand’s highest-performing green buildings.

Butchery company Hellers and Active Refrigeration took out the Innovation Award for a heat recovery project that produces hot water from waste heat generated by the factory’s cooling system. Since work began in 2014, the cost of heating water at Heller’s Christchurch site is down by nearly 84%, hot water-related greenhouse gas emissions down by 91% and the company is saving nearly $150,000 a year on energy costs.

The Renewable Energy Award went to Antarctica New Zealand for wind turbines that are generating enough energy to power both New Zealand and America’s Antarctic research stations. Charge Net NZ was awarded the Transport Award for its moves to increase the number of charging stations for electric vehicles in New Zealand.

Collectively, the 2016 awards entries will save or generate 1.1 PJ of energy and avoid 120,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions — about one-fifth of the annual emissions of all households in New Zealand.

Image caption: Supreme Award winner Project Litefoot Trust.