Verto takes CSA crown

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1215-0229 PR4Photos - Cornwall Sustainability 2015

Verto Homes was crowned ‘Overall Winner’ at Friday night’s Cornwall Sustainability Awards (CSA).

The Newquay-based developer also received the ‘Best Contribution towards the Creation of a Sustainable Energy Economy’ accolade, at a glittering awards ceremony which was held at The Headland Hotel in Newquay, on Friday, December 4.

There was also a special award, jointly presented to Cornwall Scrapstore’s Gary King, and Paul Bright of the Cornwall Sustainability Building Trust (CBST), for their ‘Longstanding Commitment to Sustainability’.

Full winners

Best Managed Small Business Sponsored by Ambostrachan

Winner: Railholiday Ltd

  • Judge’s comments: Sustainability is embedded into the culture which runs through the whole enterprise. The theme of not just reducing resource consumption but actually preserving what resources are in existence, makes this company unique.

Best Managed Medium Business Sponsored by Cornwall College Business

Winner: St Eval Candle Company

  • Judge’s comments: They not only manage their reliance on fossil fuels, but are actually making in-roads into reducing the impact of other businesses. The provision of real performance management data, evidence of embedded ethical working practices and a commendable approach to wider community involvement is excellent.

Best Managed Large Business Sponsored by Imerys

Winner: Ward Williams Associates

  • Judge’s comments: Sustainability is a mainstay of their own operations and the same ethos and values is incorporated into many of their customers’ projects. This is a national company with a local heart, through their community participation, supporting both local and national organisations and charities.

Best Individual Sponsored by Lantoom Quarry

Winner: Falmouth & Exeter Students Union (FXU) – Stephen Murphy

  • Judge’s comments: Stephen, with the support of his team, have delivered a truly inspiring project, providing employment to 43 students in its first year and 46 students in its second year, delivering no less than  51 themed events  commencing with a Fresher’s Fayre  and culminating with their Re-Wild event which attracted 361 attendees.

Best Innovator – Tomorrow’s Contribution to Sustainability Sponsored by Business Cornwall

Winner: Green & Blue

  • Judge’s comments: The ‘bee brick’ offers a low cost opportunity to provide nesting space for solitary bees which are responsible for the pollination of approximately one third of global food production. The decline of solitary bees is not just a threat to the bee population, but of significance to the whole global human population.

Best Contribution to Resource Efficiency Sponsored by Henry Orchard & Sons

Winner: Dairy Crest Ltd

  • Judge’s comments: Their carbon & energy reduction strategy, recycling project which has delivered zero waste to landfill, water management initiatives which have been implemented within their own processes and extended to support their suppliers and fuel saving initiatives and  the development of innovative waste water treatment processes which will permit nutrient recovery and improved surface water quality are remarkable. These processes will have European wide significance and are an industry game changer.

Best Contribution Towards Creating a Sustainable Food Economy – From Nature to Plate Sponsored by Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall

Joint winner: Bosavern Community Farm

  • Judge’s comments: The community benefits extend far beyond just the growing of local produce, they include the opportunity for the local and wider community come together and to learn about and embrace sustainable living.

Joint winner: Devon & Cornwall Food Association (DCFA)

  • Judge’s comments: The wastage of perfectly edible ‘in-date’ food is a deplorable feature of our modern food supply chain, up to 50% of food produced is wasted. DCFA collects surplus foods from growers, processors, distributors, retailers and grocers and distributes it to those who support the most vulnerable in our society including day centres and homeless shelters.

Best Contribution Towards the Creation of a Sustainable Energy Economy Sponsored by Truro School

Winner: Verto Homes

  • Judge’s comments: They apply technologies of the very highest standards and have produced a development of net zero carbon homes, utilising low embodied energy products, triple glazing, renewable energy systems, air source heat pumps, heat recovery, all coupled with Smart Home Technology set an excellent standard.

Best Contribution to the Built Environment – New Build Sponsored by Building Research Establishment (BRE)

Winner: Gilbert & Goode

  • Judge’s comments: The Green Hub Building at the Eden Project incorporates photovoltaics, solar thermal, air source heat pumps, rain water harvesting, best practice water and energy saving technologies & locally sourced construction materials.

Best Contribution to the Built Environment – Retro Fit Sponsored by Dingle Brothers

Winner: robotmother Ltd

  • Judge’s comments: The Jubilee Warehouse at Penryn incorporates photovoltaic power, energy saving technology, rain water harvesting, water saving systems and low environmental impact finishes, reuse of existing materials, reclamation of unwanted materials and attention to biodiversity issues.

Best Contribution by a Maritime Business Sponsored by Francis Clark

Winner: Falfish Ltd

  • Judge’s comments: As well as energy conservation, innovative waste management processes for fish wastes, community initiatives, educational links with local schools and sponsorship of local organisations, they have local procurement policies and support of the Marine Stewardship Council and other maritime sustainability initiatives.

Theme of 2015 – Best Contribution to Environmental Growth Sponsored by The University of Exeter Business School

Winner: Cornwall Wildlife Trust

  • Judge’s comments: The ‘Upstream Thinking Programme’ focusses on improving drinking water quality by farmers and land managers to improve the water quality of rivers which feed our drinking water reservoirs.

Overall Winner

Sponsored by CIoS Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

Winner: Verto Homes

Longstanding Commitment to Sustainability Sponsored by St Austell Brewery & Natural Generation

Joint winner: Gary King – Cornwall Scrapstore

Joint winner: Paul Bright – Cornwall Sustainability Building Trust (CSBT)