social housing

To many working in social housing - and those living in these properties - it will be evident that there is a problem with a lot of the current housing stock, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Many of these problems relate to damp, condensation and mould, with The English Housing Survey for Housing Quality and Condition¹ claiming that 3.5 million occupied homes were not suitable and did not meet the Decent Homes Standard in 2020, with 4% having serious damp issues.

by Ollie Gray, business development director, Charis

When the EPG Energy Price Guarantee was introduced last autumn by the flash-in-a-pan Liz Truss government, it was set to run for two years, from October 2022 to September 2024.

We all know what happened to Liz - and her EPG promise was also cut short (maybe not quite as short as her tenure in number 10).

Looking back over the winter months of 2022/23, most of the funds and grants allocated to households to help them with rising energy costs have been akin to trying to stop leaking water from a pipe with a roll of tissue. Many households quickly achieved saturation when it came to what they could afford. Although, in part, this was due to the fact that energy prices increased beyond the additional support that was offered, it was also down to the fact that inflation was peaking at over 10 per cent, interest rates had shot up, and in general overall household income was squeezed on all sides, with no equivalent increase to household income.

The need to deliver a supportive, good quality interior at a low cost presents difficulties in the selection of flooring within social housing projects. Speed of installation, homely design, easy maintenance and durability all at a low cost, is not something every floor can deliver.

Beauflor sheet vinyl flooring offers an attractive finish across a wide range of popular natural looks with benefits for the developer and tenant alike. For the housing association, it’s cost-effective, fast to install and durable helping to deliver value throughout its life cycle. Tenants benefit from a homely and comfortable floor that’s hygienic, easy to maintain, safe to walk on and which has the potential to support their feeling of wellbeing.

InstallerSHOW 2023 and elemental are delighted to welcome the UK Government’s Heat Pump Ready programme as an event partner.

Heat Pump Ready is a major innovation programme funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) which is delivered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The programme is supporting the development of novel solutions to transform the market for heat pumps in the UK, with many of the projects in the spotlight at InstallerSHOW from 27 to 29 June at the NEC.

The Association of Safety and Compliance Professionals (ASCP) has launched a new course; the Level 2 VRQ Award in Understanding and Prevention of Damp and Mould in Housing. Designed specifically for those engaged in the provision of social housing; the course seeks to support the sector in light of recent events by raising awareness of damp and mould prevention and control.

InstallerSHOW returns to the NEC in June, with three days of content in the elemental theatres focusing on the crucial topics of heating and powering our buildings while cutting carbon.

We welcomed 10,000 visitors in 2022 and the 2023 show will be our biggest – and best – yet, with added content streams, features and opportunities to share knowledge and ideas about the route to net zero.

Designing and constructing future-proof social houses, which will serve their occupants for years to come and will not cause issues to the building users and building owners is paramount. Even with the most innovative design, the building is as good as the materials used in its construction, with roofs demanding special attention from architects and builders alike.