For housing associations to maximise their contribution to sustainable development, action needs to be taken at all levels because almost everything an association does has a sustainability impact. Below are some of the actions that associations need to take to ensure that they are addressing the sustainability agenda.

Policy, strategy and planning

At the strategic level, sustainable development principles and approaches should be integrated into policies, strategies and planning processes. Associations should develop their own sustainable development strategies and action plans to ensure coherent and systematic approaches are adopted. It is likely that local authorities will increasingly look for evidence of a systematic approach to sustainability in the selection of partners for housing and regeneration work. Therefore, it makes good business sense to be implementing the sustainable development agenda.

Improving environmental performance

Protecting the environment is a fundamental aspect of sustainable development, but for most associations environmental good practice still requires a lot of work. Good environmental performance is important to mitigate the impact of climate change, which has been described by the Government Chief Scientist as the single greatest problem facing the country (and the world) in the 21st Century. However, beyond that, the siting of houses, the materials of which they are made, and the uses their occupants make of such resources as energy and water, all have major environmental implications. Given the nature of their business and the scale and scope of the activities of the sector, associations have the potential to make a significant contribution to an improved environment.

Sustainable Communities and Construction

As housing associations are the main providers of new social housing, it is important that the houses are built where there is a long term demand for them and to standards that contributes fully both to the health and well-being of the tenants and residents and addressing issues such as climate change.

To ensure that new housing is sustainable, relevant issues must be considered at the beginning of the feasibility and design stage of a new project in all cases. Since April 2002 it has been necessary for associations to certify to their Boards/Committees that their bids for funding for new schemes are sustainable.

EcoHomes

EcoHomes is an environmental assessment methodology for homes. It was developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). There are four ratings Pass, Good, Very Good, and Excellent. Accreditation is obtained from a BRE approved assessor (see http://www.bre.co.uk/pdf/013.pdf).

Since 1 April 2003, to make real progress in improving the environmental performance of housing development, all new ADP funded schemes have to receive an EcoHomes accreditation or will not be funded. To promote this target the Housing Corporation made the achievement of a ‘Good’ rating a recommendation in the Scheme Development Standards and have a multiplier in the TCI framework for associations achieving this rating and Secured by Design.

We accepted that not all associations were geared to achieve a ‘Good’ rating in 2003/4 and so we are phasing in improved EcoHomes ratings:

• From April 2003 the minimum requirement in SDS is for an EcoHomes ‘Pass’ rating. Our research has shown that, taking into account the new Building Regulations and the revised SDS requirements, the additional cost of achieving a ‘Pass’ rating will be minimal. Achieving a ‘Good’ rating will remain a recommended item in the SDS and will attract the Sustainability multiplier in the TCI framework.
• In 2005/6 we intend to make the achievement of a ‘good’ rating a minimum requirement in the SDS with ‘Very Good’ becoming a recommended item. Our research shows that, in most cases, if EcoHomes features are designed into the scheme at the feasibility and planning phases costs will be covered by the TCI multiplier.