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Business case for sustainability

The sector is not paying enough attention to the fact that the business case for sustainability is as strong as the environmental one

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Business case for sustainability

Why is sustainability such a conundrum? On the one hand it goes off the radar and green issues get in the news for not being in the news - remember those commitments to being the ‘greenest government ever’? On the other, it is everywhere - floods, energy prices, warm winters, early snowdrops.

Social housing providers could be forgiven for not knowing which way to look. Yet the recent storm over the future of the energy company obligation and the green deal provides a taster of things to come.

Sustainability matters. It isn’t just about polar bears or saving the planet. Sustainability makes business sense. Housing associations and developers that get sustainability right save money, have happier residents, reduce rent arrears and grow the value of their business. Sustainable Homes finds that housing associations joining our SHIFT network manage their stock better. They have the information they need to know what they are doing and the clear sense of direction they need to drive constant improvements. We are also seeing growing evidence of reduced rent arrears for homes that are well insulated and managed to high environmental standards.

So what can be done to help? Here’s our four-point plan:

One - focus on the leakiest homes. ECO should be improving the homes leaking the most energy. Instead, we find it focused on cavity wall and loft top-up insulation. This is a mistake. Insulation of this kind can pay back in less than two years when we have 7 million solid wall homes to crack. Half of these homes are also in fuel poverty and this is where attention should focus.

Two - walk the walk. The Climate Change Act requires an 80 per cent reduction in carbon by 2050 - it’s the law! The changes needed haven’t yet sunk in. It requires the retrofitting of 25 million homes to emit 90 per cent less carbon - that’s more than 13,000 homes a week. If we are to make this happen then it should be a requirement of all those receiving public funds - whether it be for building new social housing or cavity insulation - to demonstrate how they will be making this step change possible.

Three - prepare for change now. We need to reduce energy use and provide warm homes. But we also need to adapt and be ready for the changes already upon us. Rain is heavier, storms more damaging, summers drier and cities hotter. Much of our building stock isn’t fit for purpose. Overheating alone is accounting for thousands of deaths each year. Maintenance and repair costs are rising. Housing associations and others spend millions on looking after the existing stock each year. It makes good business sense to build in measures that help adapt it to climate change.

Four - harness the power of nudge. There is growing evidence that the most efficient houses aren’t those which have the best score on the government’s system for rating the energy efficiency of buildings, smart meters or water and energy-efficient kit. People need to know how to live in their homes in the most efficient way. We get driving lessons before using a car and yet are expected to know how our homes work without any guidance. So let’s look beyond engineering and technology and see how we can encourage and support people to live better lives.

That’s our starter for four - so what makes sustainability sense for you?

Tony Burton is executive chair of Sustainable Homes

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