Adapting our homes to a sustainable climate



Adaptation measures will protect homes ensuring they remain as a valuable asset and reduce costs associated with increased risks from overheating, water shortage and flooding.

The adaptation tool includes 23 questions. On using it you will gain:

  • an assessment of how well prepared your organisation is for our changing climate
  • an indicative score you can use to benchmark your performance. This can assist to compare how well your organisation is doing
    • over time
    • compared with other organisations
  • a report with recommendations on how you can improve

Performance can be summarized as follows:

Score out of 23
10 or below Significant opportunity to improve - Many of the measures that can reduce the likelihood and impact of flooding, drought instances and overheating have not been considered.
18 or below Some adaptation measures undertaken - A number of steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood and impact of climate change. A number of steps are available.
Above 18 A number of adaptation measures undertaken - A significant number of steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood and impact of climate change. Some steps are still available.

Please note – The tool provides a summary of steps you can take to reduce the likelihood and impact of climate change. This tool is not intended to capture all risks. Measures recommended are likely to reduce the risk and impact of flooding, drought and overheating. It is important to note that events and damage can still occur despite the undertaking of the guidance provided.




Preparing for potential floods

1.1 Have you assessed whether the homes you manage or own are at risk of flooding?

1.2 Dealing with a flood event.   For those properties at risk have you examined if the local authority contingency plans take into account flooding and whether your residents/tenants will be covered by this?

1.3 Do you have a strategy for adapting the stock that is at risk to the predicted flooding effects of climate change? Has your Executive Management Team or Board signed off on this strategy?

1.4 Do you know which of your stock is within a Local Authority which has opted to take action on adaptation to climate change? If a local authority has elected to take action they will have signed up to the national indicator N188.

1.5 Do you have a process for continually checking the flood risk of your properties in the future?

1.6 Does your strategy consider the full range of flood resistance measures that could be undertaken? Resistance measures are those steps designed to exclude water from the home.  They include steps such as installing air brick covers, sealing gaps around pipes and cable entries and applying water proof render to walls.

1.7 Do you regularly reviewing the range of resilient works available to check to see if the resilience measures you are undertaking are the most effective?  Making a property resilient means preparing a home so that, should a flood enter the home the damage, upheaval and cost will be significantly reduced.  Resilience measures include steps such as using water resistant paint for the lower portions of internal walls.

1.8 Do you have a programme of communication to help people understand what to do in the event of a flood?

1.9 Do you help staff understand how to repair homes after floods?

Managing overheating

2.1 Are you aware of how many of your properties are at risk from overheating in present and future climates?

2.2 Do you have a strategy, supported by your Executive Management Team or Board to adapt your stock to the increases in temperature predicted as a result of climate change?

2.3 Have you undertaken a review of the measures that can be taken to reduce overheating?

2.4 Do you tell residents about the steps they can take to reduce overheating in the home?

2.5 Have you communicated the risks of overheating to those responsible for developing key strategies, and investment decisions within your organisation? Have you communicated the risks of overheating to key external stakeholders?

2.6 Are you ensuring that you prioritise measures to reduce overheating to 'vulnerable groups', e.g. the elderly, people with physical, learning and mental health difficulties, those on low income and benefits and those in remote and/or isolated areas?

2.7 Does your asset management strategy have targets for reducing the future risk of overheating in your properties?

Water stress

3.1 Do you have a strategy supported at the Executive Team or Board level for adapting homes within your stock to deal with predicted water shortages in the future?

3.2 Have you evaluated which properties are at risk from water shortages now and in the future?

3.3 Are you confident you have included the full range of water efficiency measures within your adaptation works?

3.4 Do you inform your residents and tenants about water efficiency steps they can take in their homes?

3.5 Do you regularly review the water efficient products that you are installing?

3.6 Have you assessed that the products you are specifying are fit for purpose’?

3.7 Do you regularly review the funding mechanism available for installation and promotion of water efficiency measures in your stock?

Code for Sustainable Homes Training

Events

09/02/2012 Passivhaus

20/02/2012 Reducing emissions from existing homes and SHIFT awards

22/02/2012 Passivhaus and Newcastle Tour

24/02/2012 How to build to the code for sustainable homes cost effectively

06/03/2012 Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor Training

Copyright 2012 - Sustainable Homes - Terms and Conditions