Borders business wins top environment award at VIBES 2022
ThermaFY Eco, a business based in Kelso, has been recognised for its efforts to maximise the energy efficiency of homes at the 2022 VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.
The company scooped the Product or Service Scotland Award and was one of 12 winners at the annual event in Glasgow on Tuesday 1 November, whittled down from 45 finalists from a record breaking 422 entrants across Scotland.
ThermaFY Eco identifies innovative ways to maximise the energy efficiency of homes, producing a service using thermal imaging and a mobile app to empower homeowners to begin their own Net Zero journey.
VIBES is a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.
More information is available on the VIBES website.
Amanda Pickford, founder of ThermaFY Eco, said:
“ThermaFY is incredibly thrilled to be selected as a winner at this year’s VIBES 2022 Scottish Environment Business Award.
“We are extremely proud to support communities across Scotland, helping people reduce their energy bills and working towards a Net Zero home. Our team are passionate about bridging the gap between energy efficiency and affordability.”
Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, addressed the award ceremony and said:
“The VIBES awards are a fantastic demonstration of the work that businesses all across Scotland are doing to protect our environment and tackle the climate crisis. I would like to congratulate all the winners and I hope they will offer inspiration and ideas to other businesses looking to make their work more sustainable.”
Dr Martin Valenti, Director of Net Zero at South of Scotland Enterprise, said:
“The VIBES Awards are a fantastic chance to recognise the huge steps many of our businesses are taking to help Scotland address climate change and biodiversity loss.
“The finalists and winners have displayed commitment to sustainability and realised that the journey to Net Zero should not be seen as a barrier, but the most significant economic opportunity of our time.
“There is great work going on in the South of Scotland and we look forward to more local businesses being acknowledged for their outstanding Net Zero efforts in the coming years by the VIBES Awards.”
Franceska van Dijk, Deputy Chair of SEPA and one of the head judging panel for this year’s awards commented:
“Scotland is famous for its culture of innovation, making it ideally positioned to play a leading role in the journey to a more sustainable, low carbon future.
“We all have a role to play in tackling climate challenges, and it’s particularly significant for businesses. From creating innovative services and products to partnering with suppliers and supporting customers, all our entrants demonstrated a commitment to making the environment a key factor in decision making.”
Gillian Bruce, Chair of VIBES, added:
“Every year, we see more and more businesses and organisations who are working towards net zero carbon emissions, which is a challenging but necessary journey.
“This year’s VIBES winners are clearly demonstrating business cases for reducing their environmental footprint – highlighting the social benefits, as well as the positive economic impacts. We hope the efforts of our winners will encourage and inspire others to develop their environmental practices.”