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Environmentally Sustainable Maintenance

This week marks the launch of a Sust. study into “Environmentally Sustainable Maintenance and Housing Associations”.

The recognised need for transition towards a low Carbon economy requires a fundamental change at a local level in terms of the way in which existing housing is used and maintained. Housing Associations can play a leading role in this transition. This study was undertaken with the assistance of twenty-six Scottish Housing Associations over the last year, and explores the extent to which Housing Association ‘Demonstration Projects’ in the 1990s and subsequent innovations have influenced the mainstreaming of sustainability, good and best practice. It also explores the associated challenges that such projects give rise to in terms of maintenance.

This study was carried out by Misia Jack and Raymond Young for Sust. as part of the Sustainable Designs on You Programme. It was developed following requests by housing associations to produce more training about sustainability for maintenance staff. The study looks at 26 RSLs; these RSLs could be described as among the leaders in the development of a sustainable approach to maintenance, and not necessarily a representative sample.

The report makes recommendations to:
- the Government that it should take a more interventionist role to ensure that all RSLs have a more pro-active approach to sustainability;
- the RSLs that they should ensure that maintenance teams are properly integrated into their sustainability programmes;
- Sust. that it should provide a greater leadership role in sustainable maintenance involving information and training.

For further information and to download a copy of the report follow the link below.

More Information
http://www.sust.org/pdf/Maintenance%20Report/SDOY-Maintenance_Report.pdf