PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY
A GOOD-LOOKING BLOCK The importance of aesthetics in social housing
M
ost Housing Associations and social landlords care a great deal about how their blocks of flats look, and for good reason.
Providing a clean and tidy block can only have a positive impact on the wellbeing and happiness of tenants. A recent New Economics Foundation (NEF) study* confirms this by showing that high housing quality, measured in terms of structural quality, maintenance and upkeep, is positively associated with wellbeing. Conversely, living in a house with problems reduces people’s life satisfaction. When considering the aesthetics of a block, the most obvious areas to focus on are the communal spaces and gardens. Clean and tidy hallways and corridors, and well kept gardens are a must, as is the prompt removal of bulk refuse. However, social landlords are also mindful of the external appearance of their buildings, and whilst measures such as the removal of graffiti can help considerably, other factors such as excess cabling and a multitude of satellite dishes, can also have a negative impact on the ‘look’ of a block. The installation of a communal TV system is often key to improving or maintaining the aesthetics of a social sector block. It negates the need for multiple mini-dishes on the exterior of a building and can considerably reduce the amount of cabling required. Brendan Hegarty, head of Sky Communal TV comments: “ Whilst mini- dishes are perfect for individual properties, and the odd one or two on a block are fairly unobtrusive, we would usually recommend a communal TV system for blocks where the uptake of satellite services is likely to be high. “The joy of installing a Sky communal
TV system is that every flat in a block has access to digital satellite services, without the need for multiple mini-dishes.” Sky offers a range of communal TV systems suitable for the social sector. An Integrated Reception System (IRS) for example, works by feeding a digital signal from a single multi-purpose reception unit to faceplates fitted in each flat. With it, tenants can access a wide range of digital TV services and, being ‘platform neutral’, IRS gives tenants a choice of TV suppliers, such as Freesat, Freeview or subscription services. It provides access to FM and DAB radio, as well as supporting alternative satellite providers such as Turksat and Arabsat.
IRS is a good option for ‘future- proofing’ properties, with potential access to the UK’s largest number of HD channels and Europe’s first ever 3D channel. It also provides the opportunity to access foreign language channels if required. The system typically comprises a satellite dish of about 78cm across and two aerials on the roof (one for TV and one for radio), and an indoor cabinet for switches and cabling. An alternative for smaller blocks of
flats is Sky’s Shared Dish system, which delivers digital satellite TV signals to flats from a single discreet rooftop dish, so residents don’t need their own mini dishes. It comes at a very competitive price and includes a dedicated project manager to guide landlords and tenants through the entire installation process. Crucially, as part of the package for both systems, Sky will help with communication to residents, provide a quality guarantee and offer a variety of maintenance options, and remove existing mini-dishes.
Seven accommodation blocks at
the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, recently benefited from the installation of a Shared Dish system, and as a result, the appearance of the blocks has greatly improved. The original communal TV aerial had not been upgraded prior to the Digital Switchover due to lack of funding, which had led to an untidy proliferation of mini-dishes. In August 2012, approved Sky
Installer, New Channels, installed a single Shared Dish system to each of the seven blocks in just one week, making subscription to Sky+HD services or
alternatively Freesat digital TV, available to all tenants. The contract included the removal of existing mini-dishes to tidy up the blocks.
North Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were delighted with the quality of the work and the aesthetic improvements to the accommodation blocks. Following installation, Sky held a small event in the staff canteen to offer advice and information to any residents interested in Sky subscriptions or the availability of a Freesat connection. To help social landlords understand their options and requirements, Sky has developed a free, downloadable Sky Homes Specification guide which details all the elements needed to install an IRS or Shared Dish system. It has been developed to aid agreements between landlords and installation contractors and is intended to help during preliminary planning and tendering. It also provides an infrastructure for local security and information systems, as well as describing the procedures required for planning the individual systems.
The Sky Homes Specification PDF can be downloaded for free from
www.sky. com/social or call 08442 410331.
*Ref: ‘Well-being evidence for policy: A Review’ – 03.04.2012 20 PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5
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