Power to zero
The challenge of decarbonising the UK’s existing housing stock is significant, and will require innovative policy, investment and logistical solutions to solve it. Not doing so will make meeting the Government’s net zero ambitions almost impossible.
Our report with IPPR, 'All hands to the pump: A home improvement plan for England', shows that it will cost £36 billion over the next ten years to combine heat pumps with high energy efficiency standards that are needed to radically reduce carbon consumption in our homes.
It also lays out the huge opportunities that could be realised from this home energy revolution, where the current policies are failing and why, before outlining the preferred technologies to deliver the strategy and how it should be delivered and paid for.
The UK’s unemployment figures skyrocketed in March 2020, and every month since. The nation is now on track to have the highest rise in unemployment numbers since the Great Depression. But investing a national retrofitting programme, driven by the social housing sector - a 'Clean Heat Plan' - has the potential to create up to 275,000 jobs in England by 2035, and 325,000 jobs in the UK.
Our credentials
We have received significant recognition for our work in this area. This includes:
In July 2021 we were named in the Top 3 most sustainable housing associations in the UK by Housing Digital – and the highest with a national portfolio.
Alongside this, our Chief Executive Nicholas Harris has recently been appointed as the Vice-Chair of the National Housing Federation’s Sustainability Strategy Group, which will steer the sector’s response to tackling the challenges of sustainability and climate change.
Our campaign to raise the profile of decarbonisation in housing with politicians and the housing sector was also recently shortlisted for the PR Week 2021 Awards for Public Affairs Campaign of the Year.
We have also been awarded a Silver ‘SHIFT’ rating, an independent assessment and accreditation scheme that measures organisations against environmental targets.
More about our work
An introduction from Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive

"In a post-pandemic world, we (and many other businesses) have the opportunity to learn from experience and I believe that pursuing ‘earth friendly’ and sustainable solutions will become more important than ever - it’s something we feel very passionately about."
Read hereAll hands to the pump: A home improvement plan for England

Our report in partnership with IPPR
Access report hereAll Hands to the Pump Podcast
Our latest podcast episode highlights the key recommendations from the report. Have a listen below.
Webinars and events

The latest events and webinars featuring key speakers from across the sector
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