KITCHEN specialist Granite Transformations is the latest business to benefit from the Low Carbon Business fund.

Granite Transformations recently received £3,640.50 towards the cost of energy efficient show room lighting and air conditioning.

The small business, at the end of Brentwood High Street, finalised the project that will see them drastically reduce their carbon footprint, whilst keeping the shop warm for their customers throughout the winter months. The low carbon grant made the project possible by contributing towards 30% of the cost of the installation.

Not only has the quality of the show room lighting been substantially improved by more efficient fittings, but the heating system keeps the temperature warm in the winter months as well as cooler in the summer months. This keeps the customers happy as well as the poor staff, who were otherwise layering up during the winter and stripping off in the summer to combat the temperature change!

The project is set to: • Cool the shop during the summer months.

• Heat the shop during the winter months.

• Save Granite Transformations over £1,200 in energy costs each year.

• Reduce the firm’s carbon footprint by over 5.60 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Low Carbon Business Communications Officer Seb Coombs said: “Granite Transformations is an example of a genuinely great project that unfortunately would not have gone ahead without a little financial help.

"It’s great that this funding is available to businesses for projects that just make a lot of sense! Not only has this funding helped a local shop on the high street to reduce running costs, but also helped them to reduce their environmental impact! It’s win, win!”

Councillor David Kendall, Brentwood Council’s Chair of the Business and Town Centre Committee, added: “I’m pleased to see yet another business in our Borough benefit from this scheme. It is often the case to save money long term, you need to spend a bit of money in the short term.

"Grants like this are brilliant for giving a bit of extra help to fund equipment that not only can save money - but energy too. I would encourage more of our businesses to find out if their idea qualifies for low carbon grant."

Visit the programme's website www.lowcarbonbusiness.org.uk to find out more information.