This theme seeks to assess how the activities of the housing provider are impacting on climate change and how they are mitigating the physical risks of climate change.
Great Places works hard to reduce the impact of its communities and day-to-day operations on the environment.
Our cross-organisational Carbon Management Team is reviewing our Carbon Management Strategy which will look to reduce our environmental impact across the business and focus on the following key areas where our emissions are the greatest for our journey to net zero over the long term.
Our retrofit work programme remains an important part of our Great Places’ work to meet the environmental commitments outlined in our Corporate Plan. Great Places targeted 3,500
homes that fell below an EPC C rating and is committed to getting these to this standard by 2030. The team remains focused on improving the energy performance ratings to a C across all our homes. In the past 12 months this has seen us reduce the number of homes with a rating below C from 3,386 to 3,071. With the support of £1.4 million in funding from Wave 2.1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, work is progressing to make energy-efficiency improvements in another 396 of our homes in Greater Manchester and Sheffield to improve their EPC rating to C rating. The work is planned to be completed in the next 12 months.
Great Places is prioritising its Heat Networks, with a new Heat Network Manager and Metering and Billing Co-ordinator appointed to prepare for upcoming Ofgem regulations. Upgrades to the Richmond Park Heat Network in Sheffield have begun, supported by government funding covering 50% of costs. In partnership with Fairheat, these upgrades will enhance plant rooms and equipment in 299 properties, aligning with government goals for 20% of homes in England to use heat networks to achieve net zero.
These improvements aim to increase heating efficiency and give customers better control over their heating and hot water costs. Additional funding has been secured for optimisation studies at Hutton Lodge and Elk View Court to enhance performance and reduce expenses.
In response to high energy costs, applications for government support under the Energy Bill Discount Scheme have been made to lower heating costs for communal and district networks. New, fixed-price energy contracts have also been secured for two years for gas and three years for electricity.
To enhance communal energy billing, a programme for smart energy meters is underway, alongside plans to verify meter readings and reduce estimated bills. Energy surveys and feasibility studies are planned to improve energy efficiency in communal spaces, aiming to cut costs and carbon emissions.
Great Places uses the Carbon Workbook calculator and methodology developed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to establish its carbon footprint for the financial year.
Great Places Housing Group Carbon Emissions 2023/24
| Scope | Source | Carbon emissions |
|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | Great Places directly used gas consumption, fleet consumption, fugitive emissions | 2,643.3 |
| Scope 2 | Electricity consumption, 3rd party district heating consumption | 123 |
| Scope 3 | Existing stock energy consumption, new build, grey fleet, electricity transmission and distribution, 3rd party district heating distribution | 80,514.5 |
| Total emissions | 83,280.9 |
Mitigating risks of overheating and flooding across our housing and land portfolio is an integral part of Great Places’ sustainability plan. We are committed to meeting this challenge and providing solutions to alleviate these risks.
When designing new developments, flood risk and overheating are key considerations in our housing and estate design. All our new homes are built to limit risk to flooding to the least severe category of flood zone 1. This is achieved by raising the floor level of homes or leaving areas of site with increased flood risk as public open space.
Surface water is discharged from site via routes and discharge rates as agreed with the local flood authority and statutory water authority; where required discharge rates are attenuated using oversized pipes, crates, swales or balancing ponds/basins.
To reduce surface water run off we have used permeable paving tarmac. Green roofs have been identified as an opportunity to reduce discharge rates through natural attenuation of rainwater whilst also contributing to a reduction in overheating risk and an increase in bio-diversity net gain.
All new homes are also designed and constructed to mitigate excessive or unwanted increases in room temperature.
This is achieved through appropriate design and construction for each home’s orientation, glazing extents and site constraints. Development sites utilise solar shading, improved glass specification, and ventilation strategies, which do not adversely impact safety, security and wellbeing. Other design considerations made for each site’s specific requirements are noise levels at night, pollution, and protection from falling. Mechanical cooling is only adopted where mitigation of overheating cannot be achieved via air circulation and extraction. Overheating risk mitigation is demonstrated in accordance with the methods defined in Building Regulations Approved Document Part O 2021.
Our Employers Requirements call for the use of dynamic modelling, which involves building the development in a 3D model through a software called IES, which allows more data to be assigned to the file to assess the risk of overheating. We have established that this is the best route to assess each home on each site to ensure the data and mitigation measures are as accurate as possible.
Great Places values our customers’ role in achieving environmental sustainability.
Our teams and website offer advice on reducing and efficiently using energy in a range of formats to suit people’s needs. Our website includes home energy-saving guides, links for operating heating systems and new technology, and a dedicated advice page on damp, mould, and condensation. Customers can also request user guides.
For customers moving into our new-build properties, our Customer Care Team provides a comprehensive home user guide (HUG) with information on home features, operating mechanical ventilation and heating, and waste disposal. This is supplemented with an in-home demonstration on managing the home and internal environment and a follow up visit to ensure everything is going smoothly. Customers are also provided with supplemental guides include boiler care, repair reporting, lawn care, and drainage advice to prevent blockages.
In August 2022, Councillors Dave Sweeton and John Taylor from Tameside Council joined our Chief Executive and members of our Development Team and Watson Homes to officially launch the £5.1 million redevelopment of the former Stalybridge Police Station site into a specialist supported living scheme.
The project provides 24 one and two-bedroom flats with on-site care from the Tameside Adult Social Care Team. Originally built in 1968, the police station served the community for 37 years before being demolished to make way for these new homes, funded in part by Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Environmental sustainability was a key consideration. As part of the construction, the existing foundations of the police station were tested and reused, with the aim of reducing the project’s carbon footprint. The development features low-carbon technologies, including air source heat pumps for each apartment, resulting in EPC B ratings and Environmental Impact ratings of A.
The Edel Hot Water Heat Pump system collects energy from the air to heat water, while balanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery optimises airflow with minimal energy loss. Each apartment is equipped with electrical panel heaters, video intercoms linked to the on-site care team, and two electric vehicle charging points in the communal car park. Enhanced safety features include sprinklers and fittings for future adaptations, ensuring a supportive living environment for residents.
