Social housing Policy
A chance for us to
lead by example
What needs to be done to bring sustainability
to the social housing sector in the UK,
particularly in light of the government’s plans
to boost this sector? James Honour offers
some answers
S
ocial housing alone clearly can’t save the
planet: only 4.5m out of 26m dwellings in
the UK are managed by local authorities or
registered social landlords (RSL).
But the sector does have a vital role to play and
can lead by example. The private sector can help by
coming on board as soon as possible with the Code
for Sustainable Homes’ (CSH) targets to bring better
supply chains and lower costs. For refurbishment,
clearer targets and guidance need to be issued from
central government and the Homes and Communities
Agency on how we ramp up to achieve the national
target of cutting emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 (the
C80 target).
Ultimately, new legislation will be required. A new
Code for Sustainable Retrofit could help provide a
framework. Then, it is likely that each RSL or local
council organisation will need to have a dedicated Retrofitting social housing is important to cutting emissions
person or team to tackle the sustainability agenda.
With new-build housing being able to benefit from medium to high-risk flood plain area, and investing
the CSH, existing stock is the real worry now. It has in flood mitigation where possible. Do budgets for
been estimated that four dwellings per minute of re-roofing need to be increased, for example, because
every working day from now until 2050 need to be specifications need to be upgraded to cope with higher
refurbished to a C80 target. The clock is ticking. wind speeds?
Education Profiling
Let’s put tenants first. They will need to be convinced Social housing providers need a more detailed
of the importance of carrying out sustainability works understanding of the risks and status of their stock than
and agree priorities. Many tenants would choose to is currently held. Some have detailed SAP data, most
Let’s put
have their kitchen renewed rather than have slower will probably have cloned data and the benchmark will
tenants first.
running showers and smaller baths. be the stock average. Stock condition surveys generally
Tenant involvement in sustainability issues needs to do not cover issues such as water consumption, waste
They will need to be increased, which can lead to behaviour change and, disposal and transport. But there is a case for saying
be convinced of
for example, using smart meters. Clear and simple that future surveys should have a broader brief to cover
the importance
instructions for innovative system operation needs some of this data.
to be given and we must get the technology-versus- Energy Performance Certificates on properties,
of carrying out resident fit right. as they become vacant, will add to the information
sustainability
When considering allocation of resources, how much database; but with a 5 per cent annual turnover of
works and agree
should be invested in sustainability and energy saving, tenants, it would take 20 years to certify them all, even
and how much in mitigation works? We need a balance, assuming the same property did not change hands
priorities. with funding for micro-generation in properties in a more than once.
42 CIBSE Journal September 2009
www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEsep09 pp42-43 social_opinion2.indd 42 21/8/09 10:35:26
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