Committing to positive change for our customers

By Helen Town, Group Director of Property and Partnerships for Watford Community Housing Group

No blind spots: One eye on the homes we build and one eye on the homes we own.

We know that we have a mandate to build new homes to meet affordable housing demand; it is a national issue and a local reality that we can’t close our eyes to.

Whilst the scale of demand is huge, instead of solely focusing on the numbers, housing associations should be giving thought to how we create sustainable and affordable homes and communities where people want to live. Government action on emissions means we have a unique opportunity to build homes near to where people learn, work, and socialise. It is a chance for housing associations to play our part in creating healthy, thriving communities with a focus on healthy, sustainable living.

We also know that in turning ‘one eye to the new’, the other must stay focused on the existing, for these homes and communities are equally important. They too must be sustainable, affordable places where residents can live happy and fulfilled lives. We can use our position as a community stakeholder and landlord to be an influencer on wider issues such as sustainable transport, the natural environment and air quality.

No conflict: Complimentary, not competing development and asset management strategies

As a housing association that is both a developer and owner of homes, we have development and asset management strategies that exist harmoniously – with each year that passes we are developing more sustainable homes in a sustainable manner.

We know that we can’t make a difference overnight and that we can’t do this on our own. We also know, however, that every measure we take will make a difference in the long term and that if we work with others we will achieve so much more. As construction costs soar there is a risk of of planned investment and development being perceived as conflicting agendas; they shouldn’t be. Greener Herts is a great example of three developing housing associations partnering to optimise inward investment and procuring together to enable us to do more with limited resources.

No regrets:  Ensuring the decisions we make today don’t have to be undone tomorrow.  

Figuring out the practicalities of our homes moving away from gas is tricky, and the journey to net zero carbon is daunting.

Although we can’t figure it all immediately, what we can do is start the journey. For members of Greener Herts that means ensuring that the fabric of our homes, both existing and new, is as tight as can be. The benefits of this are twofold, firstly the homes are better insulated, secondly their ability to retain heat will aid our customers in keeping their energy bills as low as possible.

This sort of technology has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years and with our a whole home approach that promotes ventilation and heat retention, we will achieve the best possible outcome.   

No cynicism: Embracing innovation and technology.

There are some strong views in the sector about emerging technology and even about technology that has been around for a while.  Strong views on PV, air source, ground source and off-site manufacturing of new homes and a bit of a ‘bumpy ride’ in the evolution of these renewables has meant that they have not been universally adopted.

 We must have an open mind and collaborate to pilot new forms of technology and construction without negatively impacting on the lives of people who live in the homes we own and build. The Greener Herts partnership is piloting new approaches to renewable energy and emerging technology that enables residents to manage and monitor energy in their homes. 

We are:

-        Working in partnership with neighbours to understand the challenges and opportunities with district heating and to engage with our residents on what this means to them both practically and financially. 

-        Trialling new approaches to off-site manufacturing and the sustainability outcomes this brings, both in manufacture (through less waste) and occupation (through improved air tightness) – particularly via our adoption of modular construction where appropriate.

-        We are exploring how we can install and maintain emerging heating systems and insulation, as well as implementing growth strategies that we hope will boost our local green economy as we look towards net zero carbon.