NORTH Star Housing is in the running for two regional awards for its pioneering work on saving energy.

The housing provider is shortlisted in the North East Energy Efficiency Awards for Best Regional Housing Association or Landlord, and Best Small Scale Project.

The nomination for Best Regional Housing Association or Landlord resulted from North Star’s successful partnership with Align Property Partners (APP), which is owned by North Yorkshire County Council.

North Star employed APP to manage a project to fit new cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, and photovoltaics on 25 off-gas properties in Teesdale. The insulation installations were icarried out by Middlesbrough-based specialists Heatpac, while the Redcar-based Northern Renewable Centre looked after the photovoltaics.

The project attracted 50-50 match funding from the Government through the second round of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, and APP nominated North Star for the award in recognition of its overall approach to decarbonisation and energy efficiency.

The nomination for Best Small Scale Project is in recognition of North Star using a Victorian terraced house in Middlesbrough as the model for a trial, using net zero technology never used before on a domestic dwelling.

North Star Asset Manager, Chris Harris, said: “Energy efficiency is clearly an area of growing importance for all organisations, so we are delighted to be nominated in these two categories.

“The Middlesbrough retrofit project is something we are very proud of, and it’s great to also be in the running to be the best regional housing association because it recognises our overall commitment to saving energy wherever possible.”

This is the tenth anniversary of the Energy Efficiency Awards and the North East winners will be announced at the Radisson Blu, in Durham, on May 9.