Connexus shortlisted for national energy efficiency award
Connexus has been shortlisted for National Housing Association of the Year at the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2026, recognising its investment in improving existing homes, supporting residents and reducing carbon emissions across rural Shropshire and Herefordshire.
The awards recognise organisations that are delivering meaningful improvements while making homes more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable.
The shortlist follows a major programme of investment in existing homes, with around £7 million invested in energy-saving measures over the past year. The work has been supported through Warmer Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3, distributed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero with funding managed by Midlands Net Zero Hub.
Through the Warm Homes programme, Connexus has improved 221 homes with a range of upgrades delivered with principal partner Broad Oak Group, including insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage, improved ventilation, heating controls and energy-efficient windows and doors. The improvements are estimated to save around 353 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
The work is helping customers live in warmer, healthier and more affordable homes. Improvements have reduced heat loss, improved heating performance and increased the use of renewable energy technologies, helping households' lower energy consumption and manage rising energy costs more effectively. The programme has been particularly focused on older and harder-to-treat homes in rural communities, where residents can be at greater risk of fuel poverty and often have fewer alternatives for affordable heating.
Damian Cassidy, Head of Asset Management at Connexus, said: "We're delighted to have been shortlisted for this award. It’s recognition of the significant investment we've made in improving existing homes and to the commitment of colleagues and partners who are working hard to create warmer, more energy-efficient homes for our customers.
"For our customers, this work is about much more than reducing carbon emissions. It's about improving comfort, tackling fuel poverty and helping people with the cost of heating their homes. Every improvement we make is designed to have a lasting impact on customers' quality of life and ensure our homes remain fit for the future.
“We'd particularly like to thank Broad Oak Group, our partner on this improvement work, for their support in helping us deliver these upgrades."
The winners of the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2026 will be announced later this year.