Hyde Group calls for new social housing benchmarks on energy efficiency

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

The Hyde Group today called for new social housing benchmarks to focus on the energy efficiency of homes.
 
The call comes in response to a Communities and Local Government Select Committee consultation on new decent housing standards post 2010.
 
Energy efficiency would be measured through the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure which calculates a building’s environmental performance with properties scored on a scale from 1 to 100.

The Group recommends that any new energy efficiency standards for social housing would need to be sufficiently funded by Government, with a realistic timescale for completion.
 
Hyde Group Chief Executive David Eastgate, said: “With energy prices increasing and the threat of global warming having more and more of an impact on daily living it is paramount that a statutory requirement on the energy efficiency of social housing should be included in any new decent home standards.
 
“The behaviour of society must be taken into consideration when trying to become more energy efficient and reducing carbon emissions.

"Tackling carbon emissions from social housing will have a positive effect on environmental standards and will also help fight the scourge of fuel poverty."
 
Hyde has also urged that a new standard for decent housing must consider the surrounding estates and common areas with the opinions of local residents taken into consideration.
 
The Hyde Group is one of the largest housing association groups working in England, owning or managing over 43,000 homes in London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, the East of England and the East Midlands.