ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
Environmental Sustainability Strategy
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
1.
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MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
Date Strategy
approved by LMH
Board / Committee
TBC
Replacing / Updating
Sustainability Strategy – May 2012
Next Review Date
July 2016
Drafted By:
Senior Asset Manager
Responsible
Executive Director
Director of Landlord Services
Circulation list
Available to all LMH staff via intranet.
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
2.
BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STRATEGY
In this context Environmental Sustainability refers to the impact of our activities,
and those of our tenants, on the environment. This impact is measured in terms
of the amount of carbon produced by our operating activities and the use of our
properties. It is LMHs aspiration to minimise this impact whilst continuing to
deliver value for money.
Why do it?
In addition to widely recognised environmental benefits, an effective approach to
Environmental Sustainability can contribute to the delivery of our corporate
objectives. Our Corporate Plan (2015/16 – 2019/20) sets out a commitment to:
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Deliver a comprehensive approach to the sustainability of assets and
places through sound investment
Improve energy efficiency of stock to meet carbon reduction targets and
increase use of renewable energy by maximising available funding
opportunities
This strategy will contribute to these commitments in a number of ways:
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Reducing the amount of energy required to heat our homes and
educating tenants to minimise their energy use can reduce tenant’s fuel
costs and/or increase their comfort levels and health. This in turn can
improve tenant’s life chances and lead to more sustainable tenancies
and neighbourhoods.
Reducing the amount of water used in our homes will reduce costs for
tenant’s using water meters and increase the number of tenants who
will benefit from water metering.
Minimising the amount of energy used and waste generated by our
corporate activities can reduce costs.
Minimising the amount of waste generated by our investment and
development programs can reduce costs.
Employing the use of energy generating technologies can generate a
financial return for LMH.
The wider context.
This is an LMH strategy; however, it sits within a wider context. LMH are
influenced by EU and National targets on environmental sustainability, for
example, the UK Government Target to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint by
80% from 1990 levels by 2050. LMH recognise that the housing sector needs to
play its part in contributing to this carbon reduction.
At a local level sustainability is a priority with the Major of Liverpool City Council
who has set up a Commission on Environmental Sustainability. The Commission
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recognises the work underway to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in
Liverpool and recommends that a commitment should be made to find innovative
and creative solutions to retrofit the city’s buildings and housing stock.
Fuel poverty is high in Liverpool, with 11% of customers estimated to be living in
fuel poverty (2012)1. The key drivers behind fuel poverty are:
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energy efficiency of the property
the cost of energy
household income
Although we cannot influence the cost of energy, we can improve the energy
efficiency of our properties and support our tenants in reducing their energy
usage, both of which will help to combat the likelihood and effects of fuel poverty.
Progress so far.
Since LMH was formed in 2008 a significant amount of progress has been made
in improving our environmental sustainability:
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1243 properties have received energy efficiency improvements, saving
an estimated £300k for our tenants.
60% reduction in carbon emissions against the 1990 baseline as a
result of our Decent Homes program.
1,600 customers given one to one advice on how to reduce water and
energy bills from our Fuel Debt Advisors.
Achievement of ISO140001 accreditation for Environmental
Management
Achievement of Silver status in an independent sustainability
assessment (SHIFT)
Our achievement has been recognised locally winning the Liverpool Echo
Environmental Business of the Year in 2013 and nationally by Sustainable
Homes who have classed LMH as ‘Silver’ performers in terms of Environmental
Sustainability.
While progress has been made, there is still more to be done and this strategy
has been developed to maintain focus and set out LMHs approach to further
improvements which will become progressively more difficult to achieve. But by
targeting investment following the strategic themes set out below further
improvements will be achieved in the next five years.
Measuring success.
1
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319280/Fuel_Poverty_Report_F
inal.pdf
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
LMH have taken part in an independent sustainability assessment which
compared LMH’s sustainability performance with other housing associations –
though a group called SHIFT. The benchmark assessment reviews strategy and
management, office practices, performance of existing buildings and new build.
All the strategic themes outline below are covered by the assessment and as
such it offers a coherent tool for measuring delivery of this strategy.
In 2014/15 LMH ranked 31 out of 53 peers putting LMH in the ‘silver band’
category. LMH’s performance (red bar) compared to peers (blue bars) is set out
in the graph below.
LMH aspires to reach Gold award in the next five years.
3.
STRATEGIC THEMES
Condition of Properties
LMH has direct control over the energy efficiency of a property and therefore can
in part help reduce fuel poverty of our customers. The actions which LMH take to
reduce fuel poverty for customers also have the additional benefit of reducing
carbon emissions.
LMH, like most landlords, measure the energy efficiency of a property using SAP
ratings. SAP (standard assessment procedure) is the energy efficiency rating of
a home. The higher (e.g. A or B) the rating the more energy efficient the home is
and the lower the fuel bills are likely to be.
The Government’s Fuel Poverty Strategy is introducing a new energy efficiency
standard from 2018 preventing private landlords (not social landlords like LMH)
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from renting out energy inefficient properties, which at this point is classed as
homes with a SAP rating below ‘E’. There is an aspiration that by 2030 all will be
‘C’ rated. Although LMH are not directly required to meet this standard LMH
aspire to meet and hopefully exceed this target.
The current SAP ratings for LMH stock are set out in the graph below.
Our activities in this area include:
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Reviewing SAP Band D and E properties and assessing of the viability of
raising their standard.
Identifying funding opportunities to support investment in the energy
efficiency of our properties.
Investigating and implementing green energy solutions such a solar pv.
Ensuring we maximise the energy efficiency of our new build properties
and are in a position to comply with the requirement to build to Zero
Carbon standard in 2016.
Activities in this theme are led by the Asset Team.
Behavioural Change
Our behavioural change activities are led by the Regeneration Team.
Behavioural change can have as great an impact on environmental sustainability
as physical improvements to properties. For example, the five simple energy
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saving tips we promote to tenants can save them £180 on their energy bill, this is
similar to the effect of installing solar panels.
Therefore it is important that LMH take steps to help change behaviour of
customers, particularly those who are fuel poor and those who are involved in
energy efficiency investment projects.
LMH operate a range of interventions in this area:
1. Operating a Fuel Debt and Energy Advice Service which offers customers
one to one home visits to review energy suppliers, energy and water
debts and promote energy and water efficiency tips.
2. Working with local schools and young people to encourage behaviour
change and instilling energy efficient behaviour.
3. Providing energy saving tips and messages and promoting interventions
in our tenant newsletter.
4. Sign posting tenants to schemes run by others, for example the Warm
Home Discount Scheme.
Corporate Behaviour
The management team and all employees are fully committed to continually
improving our environmental performance across all of our business activities,
complying with relevant legislation and regulations and preventing pollution and
we encourage our business partners and members of the wider community to
join us in this effort.
LMH recognises our key corporate impacts on the environment to be in the
areas of;
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transport
purchased materials
energy use
water use
waste generation
LMH are ISO140001 accredited for Environmental Management which has
driven significant improvements to the environmental sustainability of the
business in the areas above to date. This is managed by the internal ‘green
group’ called Green Initiatives For Tomorrow (GIFT) that leads on improving
corporate behaviour.
4.
GOVERNANCE AND DELIVERY
The results of our SHIFT assessment have been analysed and a SMART action
plan developed by GIFT, the Regeneration Team and the Asset Management
Team. This plan will be reviewed annually or more frequently as required.
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Responsibility for delivering the strategy lies with all LMH staff; however the KPIs
set out in the action plan will be monitored and reported to the Assets Board on
an annual basis to ensure visibility and accountability at an executive level.
The detailed SMART targets set out in the action plan and progress towards
them will be monitored by the Assets Operational Team and GIFT through
Covalent.
5.
REVIEW
This strategy is a five year strategy. The strategy and action plan will be
reviewed annually and if necessary revised to reflect the latest developments
and changing nature of LMH’s operations.
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