Healthy Homes a winner

Contact Energy has won the supreme award for its Healthy Homes campaign in this year's EnergyWise awards.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority awards recognise the country's best energy-efficiency projects across business, industry and the community.

Contact's Healthy Homes project "focused on the line between the high incidence of respiratory illness and the low average temperatures, dampness and coldness in older homes".

Contact joined forces with retailers Mitre 10 and Noel Leeming, offering cheap deals on items such as insulation, alongside a big advertising campaign.

An upgrade of the Auckland head office of fast-food giant McDonald's won an award for ECO Systems, which showed modern commercial offices could reduce energy consumption by more than 20 per cent.

The savings at the McDonald's offices were $68,000 over 20 months.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority won the transport award for its Walking School Bus programme, which "displaces" 96,000 litres of petrol and diesel that would otherwise have been used driving children to school.

More than 3000 children take part, with 181 routes serving 85 schools.

Winning ways

EECA Supreme Award and the Fujitsu General NZ Community Award: Contact Energy.

Transpower Energy Supplier Award: Energy for Industry.

Meridian Energy Renewable Energy Award: Carter Holt Harvey.

Honeywell Innovation Award: Energy for Industry.

Shell New Zealand Transport Award: Auckland Regional Transport Authority.

Genesis Energy Commercial/Services Award: ECO Systems.

Energy for Industry Industrial/Manufacturing Award: Fonterra.

Contact Energy Manager Award: Trevor Gerken, CHH.

Ministry for the Environment Public Sector Award: Department of Corrections.