Our Sustainability Strategy 2022-30 (PDF, 6MB) sets out our plans to become carbon neutral by 2050, to minimise our impact on the environment, mitigate the effects of climate change and end fuel poverty.
As we continue to target net zero carbon by 2050, we’ll transition away from gas to lower carbon alternatives, and improve the energy efficiency of our homes and offices.
The strategy outlines how we’ll sustainably retrofit homes and have a more sustainable approach to building new ones. We want to improve all of our homes to reach an average of EPC band B (SAP 86) by 2045, to ensure we achieve the Government’s 2050 net zero target.
This will have significant, positive impacts. Customers will save money on bills and find it easier to keep warm in winter, and there’s evidence that health and wellbeing are improved by living in a warmer home. And, if customers’ energy bills are lower, there’s less risk of them falling into arrears.
We’ll also manage green spaces better, enhancing wildlife and biodiversity, and create more places to help people improve their physical and mental health.
This strategy updates and renews our commitments we made in our Energy and Environment Strategy 2020-22, ensuring we continue our journey to deliver net zero carbon by 2050, while meeting a number of legilsative targets up to 2030. It aligns with our long term strategic objectives, as well as the strategies across Hyde.
We understand carbon reduction and climate change legislation is changing very rapidly. That’s why we’ll refresh this strategy every two years, to ensure we continue to meet our long-term aim to be a net zero carbon organisation.
More details can be found in our Sustainability Strategy 2022-30 (PDF, 6MB)
Our targets
Making our homes more energy-efficient
- At least 75% of our homes will achieve EPC band C by 2025
- 100% of our homes will reach EPC band C by 2030
- No gas boiler replacements in existing homes by 2030
- Change all communal lighting to LED lighting by 2030
- Create a plan to optimise heat networks and plant rooms by 2023
- Implement heat network improvement programme by 2030.
Building sustainable and energy-efficient homes
- All new homes to reach a minimum of EPC band B (minimum SAP 86) by 2025
- All new homes to be a minimum of EPC band A (minimum SAP 92) by 2030.
Measuring our carbon impact
- Measure and report on our Scope 1 and 2 emissions annually
- Create a method to assess and fully report our Scope 3 emissions by 2025
- Collate construction and procurement Scope 3 emissions by 2030.
Sustainable transport
- All new developments to have electrical vehicle charging from June 2022
- Create an electric vehicle charge point policy for customers by 2023
- Phase out fossil fuel fleet vehicles and replace with fully electric vehicles by 2030.
Reducing flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water
- 90% of our homes and offices will be protected from flooding by 2025
- 95% of our homes and offices will be protected from flooding by 2030.
Minimising overheating in our homes
- 90% of our homes and offices will be at low risk of overheating by 2025
- 95% of our homes and offices will be at low risk of overheating by 2030.
Protecting our green spaces and increasing biodiversity
- Deliver 10% biodiversity net gain in new builds from 2022
- Create a Green Spaces and Biodiversity strategy by 2023
- Create two active community green space projects by 2024 and 10 active community green space projects by 2030.
Reducing pollution
- Complete audit of pollutants used in our service provision by 2023
- Create a strategy to manage and reduce pollutants by 2024
- Substitute all potential pollutants with best practicable environmental options by 2030.
Greening the supply chain
- Create an updated sustainable Procurement Strategy by 2023
- Purchase 40% of sustainably-sourced products and services by 2025
- Purchase 70% of sustainably-sourced products and services by 2030.
Managing our water use
- Create a Water Management Strategy by 2023
- Existing homes: Achieve 135 litres per person, per day by 2025 and 130 litres per person, per day by 2030
- New homes: Achieve 110 litres per person, per day by 2025 and 100 litres per person per day by 2030.
Managing our waste
- Create a Waste Management Strategy by 2023
- Ensure 90% waste is diverted from landfill by 2025 and 95% is diverted from landfill by 2030.
Engaging with our customers
- Create four customer working groups by 2025
- Have two active campaigns on sustainability by 2025 and five by 2030
- Set up a customer Net Zero Carbon Group by 2025.