Net Zero Social Housing

Creating An Exportable Supply Chain In Wales

Some of the worst quality housing can be found in Wales – a factor that increases the chances of fuel poverty as well as increasing the likelihood of health and low income related issues. To tackle the issue of fuel poverty Social Landlords really need to be open to mixed tenure programmes – not restricting schemes to their own properties. There are 226,000 social homes (managed by social landlord and stock owning local authorities) in Wales, 16% of all homes. 201,140 (89%) achieved SAP 65 in line with the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020 meaning that 24,860 social homes fell below a SAP 65 (an EPC rating of ‘D’). The Independent Review of Affordable Housing Supply recommended that Social Landlords and stock owning local authorities must proactively demonstrate how they will meet long term energy efficiency targets, a recommendation endorsed by the Independent Review on Decarbonising Welsh Homes. A task which Cyd Innovation Ltd is well placed to help deliver.

Housing is responsible for approximately 21% of the UK’s emissions and 80% of the current housing stock, on current trends, will still be in use in 2050. The rate of new builds (10% of total housing stock was built in the last 18 years) is not significant enough to compensate for the poor performance of the existing stock. Decarbonisation programmes will be expensive representing an opportunity cost as funds will be diverted away from the delivery of other services therefore impacting in other ways the lives of tenants and residents. Therefore, net zero needs to be implemented alongside social and wellbeing strategies to tackle poverty, mental and physical health, and homelessness.