Bringing customers with us on the net zero journey says Matt Roberts, Home Group
If we are going to achieve our sustainability plan and make our homes energy efficient and fit for the future, we need to work with customers and empower our communities.
Carbon capture. Energy efficiency. Heat pumps and retrofitting. In our strive to become more environmentally friendly, the world of housing has suddenly opened up to a whole new lexicon of terms. It can be confusing.
Our journey to net zero is one we want to take together. We know our customers are as committed to protecting our climate as we are. We have seen that in our net-zero pilot projects at Summer Hill and Allerdale in Cumbria.
Through exhaustive engagement activity with our customers, we have been able to bring everyone along on the green journey which is underway in their communities.
This has really helped customers understand some of the phrases that up until now have been shrouded in mystery. Expressions like ground or air source heat pumps, Solar PV or retrofitting are now more familiar.
Our work in Cumbria included:
- Adding heat pumps for those homes not connected to the gas network – providing cost savings for occupants
- Solar panels were installed, with batteries to store excess generated power
- We insulated external walls, doors and windows
- New ventilation systems were installed
Home Group’s commitment to sustainable design, improving inefficient properties and involving the local community stretches far beyond individual projects. What we learn from Summer Hill and Allerdale will help with our sustainability plan for all our customers’ homes.
And what we learn from customers through this engagement is as equally important as what we learn from the technology, if we are going to achieve our net-zero ambitions.
[This content first appeared on the Home Group website].