introduction
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and central Government
expects social housing landlords to develop affordable warmth and
sustainable energy strategies. A strategy is key to generating
annual improvements in the average energy efficiency of the housing
stock, tackling fuel poverty through empowering tenants and to
ensuring that new housing developments meet the targets required to
qualify for funding. These improvements are demonstrated in
performance indicators which are reviewed by the Government and the
HCA.
Having a strategy in place also demonstrates good governance,
satisfies stated Standards of Service and can fulfil various
statutory obligations. Good strategy also allows landlords to
anticipate changes to regulation and, most importantly,
consistently deliver best practice in housing management to their
tenants. An affordable warmth or sustainable energy strategy is
therefore an important tool which no social landlord should be
without.
challenge
Catalyst Communities Housing Association in London already had a generic template for an affordable warmth strategy but needed to turn this into something tailored to the organisation's particular circumstances.
solution
After an initial scoping visit which gathered information on
current procedures, stock condition and IT systems, we organised
two workshops with key stakeholders. These stakeholders included
officers from across the organisation and tenants
representatives.
We presented key information and facilitated a process by which the
rationale and vision for an affordable warmth strategy was explored
and a set of objectives was developed. These aims and objectives
were then refined and a series of concrete actions were
worked up which delivered each defined objective.
outcome
All of this learning was captured in an affordable warmth
strategy document which set out the drivers for the strategy and
the detail of an action plan. The strategy document also gave
guidance on appropriate indicators and targets for each action as
well as addressing the management and implementation of the
strategy.
The use of workshops ensured that the final strategy had the buy-in
of senior management and all those concerned. Secondly it allowed
the development of pragmatic objectives and targets. The end result
was the development of strategy which had every prospect of
becoming implemented and which reflects the organisation's core
goals and values.
