Matthew Bush is Head of Sustainability at Metropolitan, a leading provider of integrated housing services, care and support and community regeneration. Metropolitan manages over 36,000 affordable homes for rent and sale to over 80,000 customers across London, the East of England and the East Midlands. Matthew is speaking alongside renowned sustainability campaigner Jonathon Porritt at the Homes 2012 event for asset and sustainability professionals on the subject of housing’s contribution to the 2050 sustainability targets.It’s estimated that one house would need to be retrofitted to a high standard every minute of every day in order to meet government targets for reducing carbon by 2020 and 2050.
We asked Matthew to share what he felt defined a housing organisation as sustainable and how he felt things might develop “As a sector, in my view, housing has four key differentials that set it out as sustainable: a long term commitment and interest in our communities, a commtiment to provide services to the most vulnerable, a not for profit ethos where we reinvest our surplus in our stock and an excellent track record of tackling environmental isues.
In social housing we have the opportunity to be a sustainable business model, not least because of the long term perspective to deliver social and environmental returns. Unlike other sectors, which have a short term business objective or products that may be inherentlyin conflict with environmental aims, our social and environmental objectives don’t have to contradict our financial imperatives.The challenge is what are we going to do as a sector with this unique opportunity?”
Do you think the sector can achieve this Matthew?
“The challenge is monumental. Achieving zero carbon in all housing by 2050 may seem impossible and improbable assuming the current set of conditions. However, if we are committed to that goal, the question is what steps can we take towards the target, recognising that with new technological advancements and small changes it might just be achievable. We will have to think radically as a sector but we are well placed to be the drivers for change. We need to ask some big questions; is zero carbon our only objective? How important do we consider fuel poverty? Do we value the employment opportunities a green retrofit revolution may provide?”
How can housing organisations tackle this challenge?
“Housing organisations have an important leadership role. Our strengths include a long term financial model and a unique relationship with the customer. With the introduction of new financing mechanisms like Green Deal, ECO and FiT, coupled with growing acceptance of new technologies, the landscape is changing. Homes 2012 is an important event to help professionals in the sector understand the opportunities and work out the steps they will need to make in order to take advantage of them.
It is an exciting time to be working in housing and we are only just scratching the surface. There are many more challenges to come”
An important principle is to continue to share knowledge and discuss ideas, as it will be these ideas that effect the change required. One of the platforms to discuss these ideas is at sector conferences such as Homes 2012, so I’m really glad to be able to share my thoughts with the informed audience there.
The Homes 2012 conference and exhibition is taking place at ExCeL on 14-15 November