A mural won’t upgrade a heat network. But it can say a lot about the local community.
At Factory Quarter in Acton, a new mural by local artist David Samuel, has transformed a grey courtyard wall that residents trudge passed every day, to something more welcoming and connected to the community around it. The design was shaped by resident feedback, reflecting the gardens local residents helped to install and continue to care for.
Our work at Factory Quarter goes far beyond one project or one event. Through our partnership with Notting Hill Genesis, we have been supporting residents through heat network improvements, HIU upgrades, metering and billing services, and ongoing operation and maintenance activity designed to improve reliability and overall customer experience.
Resident engagement has always been an important part of our project delivery at Factory Quarter. We have hosted resident drop-in sessions at the community hub, giving residents the opportunity to meet the team, raise concerns, ask questions about upgrades to their in-home systems, and share ideas about the type of social value activity they wanted to see in their community.
The mural came from that broader approach. It responded to clear resident feedback that shared spaces should feel looked after, not overlooked, and that investment in the area should be felt in visible, day-to-day ways as well as through improvements behind the scenes on the heat network assets.
That’s why this mural mattered. Not because it was a large project or investment, but because it was a visible, resident-led, lasting social value initiative
The mural was unveiled at a community event attended by residents, Notting Hill Genesis and Vital Energi. The courtyard was brought to life with music, performances, food and family activities, while the team also spoke with residents and we took the opportunity to gather ideas for future social value initiatives.
A mural within the local community, may not seem like a big deal, but we should use this as a useful reminder that improving customer experience for customers living on heat networks is about more than infrastructure alone.
Read more about our wider work supporting Notting Hill Genesis residents here.
