Community
Sumaria Beaton must live in one of the warmest houses in Invercargill.
As a healthy homes advocate for 20 years, she knows what it takes to make houses warm and dry, and it’s not always about expensive heating systems.
As one of two new Local Heroes in Invercargill from the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year awards, she and the team at Awarua Synergy received the best early Christmas present this week.
With a vision of “warming and eco-powering our deep south,” they have tirelessly worked to improve the well-being of the Southland community by ensuring their homes are warm, dry, and healthy.
Sumaria’s commitment also extends beyond insulation and heating installations – developing educational programmes and conducting workshops both locally and nationally. Her efforts have been described as “ground-breaking” and impactful.
When asked what this award meant to her she said while it had her name on it, “it has a whole big team behind it leading the change.”
The company has invested heavily in public relations and this was now starting to pay off.
Already the company has made a different to more than 10,000 homes and her key to success has been recognising patterns with insulation and heating, and making the necessary changes.
“People have a lot of misleading information about how to heat a home, and what goes on inside the home. Sales people sell products into homes they don’t necessarily need.”
Ventilation was the key and examples such as hanging your washing outside or using a dryer was way more efficient than keeping the wet clothing inside.
“The way we live inside our homes is my biggest driver to helping people understand this for themselves.”
Danielle Carson also received a Local Hero award, as a rangatahi and mental health champion dedicated to fighting for better systems, and supporting people in need.
Danielle joined the Invercargill City Youth Council at just 12 years of age, and has grown to become a champion for young people in her community – even speaking in Parliament House at 18 on the mental health issues Southland faces.
In her spare time, she has formed a partnership with Youthline Southland to deliver free clothing designed by rangatahi to rangatahi.