Published 7 April 2017

Our CE Philip Squire is one of four inspiring people to be shortlisted for the Vector Energy Leadership Award in this year's EECA Awards.

The annual awards recognise excellence in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and winners will be announced at a ceremony in Auckland on May 18.

Squire has been with the Trust since the beginning. He was one of the Trust's first staff, which set up shop at the Trash Palace education centre in 2003.

More than a decade later, Sustainability Trust is at home in an award-winning EcoCentre in central Wellington, employs more than 25 staff and contractors (and as many volunteers) to run a suite of community programmes and services aimed at making sustainable living easy.

Squire spent the first six years with the Trust leading energy efficiency projects and the last six as chief executive. He is a founding member of Community Energy Network, a nationwide network for the country’s energy efficiency social enterprises, and has chaired it for the last four years.

An engineer by trade and an idealist by nature, Squire is known within the organisation for his unwavering commitment to environmental and social change, and calm and optimism in a challenging and often uncertain funding environment.

He also walks the talk – cycling to work most days from his home in Hataitai and always first to put up his hand to test out the new ideas the Trust is always coming up with. A few things the Trust has achieved under Squire’s leadership:

• Installation of insulation in more than 12,000 homes and heating in 2000 homes in Wellington, primarily through EECA’s WarmUp NZ programmes

• Energy audits on over 1200 homes and businesses, providing an energy advice line, education workshops and free technical advice.

• Supporting the development of a range of other energy-efficiency products including, photovoltaics (solar), ventilation, lighting, double-glazing and more.

• Titahi Bay Lightbulb Challenge – distribution of more than 5000 discounted CFL bulbs door-to-door over two months, with profits to a local charity.

• Development of low-income healthy homes services for vulnerable clients, including the Wellington Curtain Bank and Warm Fuzzies home assessment and advocacy service. Programmes that have assisted over 2500 households over the past five years.

• Relocation to the Forresters Lane EcoCentre which provides displays, model homes information, advice, venue hire, and an EcoShop.