LiveWest, the largest housing association in the South West, with over 40,000 homes, continues to take further steps towards making its homes more sustainable whilst offering more environmentally friendly careers.
Ben Logan, an Asset Delivery Manager for LiveWest, is delighted to be playing a key role in the organisation’s drive towards making its homes more sustainable after developing a passion for the housing sector. Six months into his new role, Ben has recently completed his retrofit training at LiveWest to improve the energy efficiency of its homes for its customers and the environment.
Ben Logan, an Asset Delivery Manager for LiveWest, said: “LiveWest and the Asset Management Delivery team have created a working environment where continuous professional development is at the forefront of empowering our colleagues.
“I have recently completed my Level Five Retrofit Coordinator training and LiveWest has been brilliant at supporting the team and I with our retrofit qualifications. This is a huge achievement and it’s great to see our colleagues in the Asset Management Delivery team gain new qualifications across all levels.
“LiveWest has given us a great opportunity for us to gain further qualifications, learn new skills, manage and support retrofit projects within our schemes, and the ability to support our customers by providing retrofit advice and works.”
LiveWest is taking significant steps towards making its homes more sustainable whilst developing more of its colleagues’ careers. The organisation is currently on a journey to transform 8,000 of its least energy-efficient homes to ensure they have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C rating by 2028 — two years ahead of the Government deadline. Its Cby28 retrofit works include new solar panels, insulation, high retention heaters, heat pumps and smart meters.
Excited for the day he starts his first retrofit project, Ben said: “I’m looking forward to gaining more insight into our retrofit programmes and helping our customers have more energy-efficient homes to help them with their bills.
“I’m really enjoying my new role. It’s great to work alongside contractors, helping customers with a more energy efficient home and helping the environment. We want to ensure our customers’ homes are more energy-efficient, to help reduce their heating bills. By helping to reduce the amount of carbon our customers use in their home, there’s a huge positive for the environment and our customers.”
John Praoline, LiveWest’s Renewable Technology Manager, reflected on the future of green careers and his passion to help customers. In the past the year, LiveWest’s Renewable Energy team has gone from strength to strength as it now has 11 fully-qualified engineers and two apprentices learning the eco-friendly trade.
John said: “At LiveWest, we have quite a lot of people who want to progress with an environmental approach, whether it be an electrician or heating engineer to advance their training.
“My job is great because our customers are so grateful for the work we do to improve the energy of their home and LiveWest is great to invest a large amount of funding into upgrading homes. For me, I have got a real drive to reduce the fuel poverty in my life, help reduce carbon footprints and help LiveWest on their journey to be net zero by 2050 with our trial for electrical vans.”
With Exeter Property Awards’ judges describing LiveWest as “strong strategic thinkers” for its Creating Greener Futures Together campaign, the housing provider continues to work towards being net zero by 2050.
John added: “With my job and the advancements of green technologies, it is great because you are always at the forefront and actively helping people in the community and also the environment.”
