Housing chiefs meet to look beyond 'decent homes'

More than 100 housing experts from across the country will meet in the Midlands today to explore how they can slash carbon emissions by fitting green technology to current homes

The one-day ‘Retrofit 2050: Beyond Decent Homes’ conference will look at how organisations can meet the Government’s Carbon Emissions targets for 2050 by improving existing housing stock.

Organised by SHAP (Sustainable Housing Action Partnership), the event will take place on Thursday 15th October at The Public, a stunning £65m community arts centre designed by architect Will Allsop in West Bromwich.

The conference will also see the launch of SHAP’s report Moving Beyond Decent Homes: Putting Social Housing on Course for 2050. Delivered by URBED, the report examines the best improvement options for different house types, detailing the cost, carbon reduction and other benefits of a range of products and technologies.

A host of speakers from key organisations such as the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Wates Living Space, URBED, proKlima Hannover and Combined Heat and Power Association will present case studies at the event. Keynote speakers include Paul Spooner, Regional Director of the HCA.

Alan Yates, Chairman of SHAP and Director of Regeneration for the Accord Group, said: “Building new low carbon housing is crucial. However, we also need to find ways of making the existing housing stock across the country more sustainable; this is a really major challenge not just to the region, but nationally.

“There has been a fantastic response to the conference, with Chief Executives and senior officers from right across the country coming to discuss how we can cut carbon today, tomorrow and beyond.