1. Reduce our carbon emissions by reducing the energy demands of our homes and buildings and improving their fabric.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Develop a forward plan to improve our remaining homes to EPC C or higher between 2024 and 2030.
Complete the SHDF Wave 2 project to improve more of our homes with investment of £4m in 2024/2025. - Create a Sustainability Innovation Fund to set aside savings generated through our procurement of our energy contracts, to enable us to mobilize quickly when new grant funding opportunities become available.
- Bid for match funding through the £1.25b SHDF Wave 3 fund to support our sustainability plans between 2025 and 2028.
- Collaborate with our peers in the sector, local government and suppliers to seek new funding and technology opportunities that benefit social housing and its tenants.
- Trial innovative technologies and undertake more sustainable pilots to understand the best energy efficient solutions for our properties and tenants.
2. Build high quality homes with a low carbon footprint.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Review the Development Strategy and ensure it remains aligned to the Sustainability Strategy.
- Learn from a net zero carbon homes pilot.
- No longer install gas boilers in our developed new homes from 2025. (Subject to allowing for a transition period on delayed sites or changes imposed by the Government).
- Learn from MMC and develop plans to build more homes to this standard in the future, subject to the availability of modular suppliers.
3. Empower colleagues and customers to make environmentally informed decisions at home and at work.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Review our training literature and develop an updated training program for all staff.
- Complete further upskilling resources for our maintenance technicians in solar PV and air-source heat pumps.
- Carry out a further Jigsaw Rewards consultation on the impact of our sustainable pilots and our Sustainability Action Plan.
- Develop recycling awareness initiatives for tenants and build on the success of fly-tipping prevention days in targeted areas.
4. Reduce the impact of flooding on customers and their homes.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Develop and implement an extreme weather plan to incorporate flooding, severe winds, drought, and excessive heat.
- Put measures in place to support tenants that may be more likely to be affected by extreme weather events.
- Review our most at–risk properties prone to damage by flooding, severe winds, drought, and excessive heat and install mitigation measures where needed.
5. Significantly reduce the amount of waste we produce.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Continue to monitor our waste disposal performance and achieve 95% of our refurbishment waste being recycled.
- Strengthen our monitoring of subcontractors’ refurbishment waste to ensure they can demonstrate waste recycling performance.
- Review our Flexible Working Policy.
6. Reduce our carbon emissions by introducing electric vehicles.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Trial electric vans in current maintenance operations where practical and cost effective to do so.
- Review the company car policy to make EV an appealing choice for staff and limit the use of high-emission vehicles for business travel.
7. Improve access to well‐maintained green spaces for our customers
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Identify more green spaces and community garden developments through consultation with our tenants.
- Develop a winter planting program to prepare maintained spaces for becoming established green areas.
- Complete a tree management review and develop a maintenance plan for all trees under our ownership.
- Identify sites for the planting of new trees.
8. Deliver a responsible approach to procurement.
During the 2024-27 strategy we will:
- Review our subcontracted programs of work and develop measures to ensure the procurement of products and materials is certified as being responsibly sourced.
- Continue to work with our partners and suppliers to select products that are most environmentally friendly for our homes and offices.
- Extend the environmentally responsible criteria for all contractors working on behalf of the Group.
