Staff of both Birmingham Family Housing and New World Solar attended a solar course at the Grant UK Headquarters in Devizes. The training covered key features and benefits of the Grant Solar System, including solar collector installation, pump station function, control system operation, filling, flushing and commissioning procedures. Attendees commented on how informative the course had been and that it was extremely beneficial to the success of the project.

Councillor John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“It is great to be able to help make a difference to the lives of residents and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions. Birmingham is leading the way in tackling Climate Change and reducing fuel poverty and working in partnership with Family Housing will continue to make further improvements to housing in the area.”

Birmingham’s homes produce over 2.3 million tonnes of CO2 per year according to Birmingham Strategic Partnerships draft Climate Change Strategy. Utilising Grant Solar Thermal in this scheme will help the city reduce carbon footprints and bring them closer to the greenhouse gas emissions target for 2010.

Twenty-four company directors have been short-listed across three categories for the coveted 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® award, including Stephen Grant, founder of Grant Engineering who has been selected for this highly acclaimed position for the second year running.


Over 115 entries were received and nominees all interviewed by Ernst & Young, followed by a rigorous assessment by a 12-strong panel of judges, chaired by telecoms entrepreneur, and previous recipient of the award, Mr. Denis O’Brien. Eight companies have been chosen in each of the three categories – international, industry and emerging, and cover a cross section of business interests. Established in 1980, Grant Engineering Ltd, falls into the Industry category.

Announcing the shortlist, Enda Kelly, Ernst & Young Partner-in-Charge of the Programme said “Entrepreneurs play a vital role in economic development and act as invaluable role models for a new generation of entrepreneurs. Our finalists confirm the pattern of previous years of vibrant entrepreneurship present right across the country. All display exceptional entrepreneurial vision, and it is important that we celebrate and recognise their achievement. Their creativity and risk-taking ability acts as the very foundation of our economic prosperity”.

“Successful entrepreneurs constantly adapt to changes in the business climate, and now that the age of physical climate change is upon us, these are the visionaries who will make global sustainability a reality, added Kelly. In our part, we will complement the hands-on initiatives in Haiti through the provision of a series of ground-breaking presentations on Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility, led by one of the most prominent figures in the field.These sessions will highlight the enormous strategic value of ‘Green Business’, and hopefully encourage participants to place eco-friendly practice at the core of business operation”.

Stephen Grant was featured in a three-part series on RTE television in October. He was announced as a winner at a televised Awards Ceremony held on 23rd October 2008.

Grant Engineering was thrilled to again receive further recognition for their ‘green’ business focus. The Company was presented with the ‘Energy Services 2008’ Award from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), at the recently held gala awards dinner in Dublin, for demonstrating best practice in energy management in the past year.

Stephen Grant & Peter Darcy of Grant Engineering Ireland Limited

Brian Motherway, Head of Industry, SEI said; “Activity on energy efficiency in business is growing tremendously. The quality of entries for this year’s Awards is excellent. It is clear from the results achieved by these companies that there are very significant energy efficiency gains and costs savings which can be made through effectively managing the energy demands of an organisation. It is also significant that a large number of the businesses that entered this year’s. ”

SEI revealed that estimated cumulative energy cost savings of €327 million have been achieved by projects which have entered the Awards since their establishment in 2004. The 2008 entrants demonstrated energy savings of €17 million based on the energy management initiatives which they have implemented in their organisations. These initiatives have also led to the annual reduction of 100,000 tonnes of CO2 and further energy and CO2 savings will accrue on an ongoing basis.

Seán Power T.D. Minister for State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources who presented the award said, “In the current economic climate, sustainable energy practices are critical for organisations both large and small, generating significant reductions in energy costs and overheads. The actions of those organisations involved today are helping both the Irish economy and the environment by contributing to the achievement of our national energy targets. Such role models are to be commended.”