How Important Is It For Councils To Think More Sustainably?

For councils, providing social housing that is in a good condition and ensuring it is a comfortable place to live for tenants is a key priority. However often specific materials selected for refurbishment are based on planning pitch and exposure of roof. With an increasing amount of legislation focussing on the environment such as the Decent Homes Plus programme, it is important however, that councils start to think more about the sustainable characteristics of the products they are selecting. The decent homes programme was set up by the government to ensure that all housing stock in the UK met a minimum standard of quality. The Government identified that too many people were living in poor-quality housing. Due to this decline, such properties would often be unpleasant places to inhabit, difficult to heat and not energy efficient. The roof replacement scheme forms part of this programme, where manufactures, such as Marley Eternit carry out a survey on the property and make recommendations on the types of roofing best suited to the property. It is becoming increasing important to recommend tiles that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Michael Clegg, head of markets and renewal at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), has promised a new "Decent Homes Plus" standard, focusing more on energy efficiency and carbon savings. As emphasis moves even more towards providing sustainable homes, manufacturers will be looking to provide their customers with innovative building materials and technologies to offer environmental benefits. One such example is Marley Eternit’s groundbreaking Ecologic interlocking tile. Not only is it a pollution-busting product, manufactured from approximately 50% recycled content, but it also demonstrates a real-life example of how a product can play its part in the sustainability agenda. Already specified in many housing products throughout the UK, its ability to absorb and neutralise harmful Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere makes it an ideal product for use on any housing project, even more so when you consider the negative effect that NOx can have on health, being strongly associated with asthma and other respiratory problems. Indeed, one of the targets set out under the Code for Sustainable Homes is the reduction of NOx emissions, making the importance of Ecologic even more apparent. It was this product that was used recently by Swansea Council on a major housing renovation scheme taking place in the city. Such is the impact of the tile’s performance characteristics, estimates show that during its lifetime an average-sized roof using Ecologic tiles could remove an amount of NOx equivalent to that emitted by a modern car driving 100,000 miles. Both these factors appealed greatly to Swansea Council, which is positioned as a leading council within Wales when it comes to tackling ongoing environmental and sustainability issues. Marley Eternit’s fibre cement slates are another prime example of a product that can obtain maximum points possible if used on a roof of a new home. It is a common misconception that natural slates are the environmentally friendly option, but they actually draw on dwindling natural resource. By comparison, Marley Eternit’s fibre cement slates are a sustainable option achieving an A+ rating that can help a builder to ensure that their construction achieves the top environmental accolade in the sustainability ratings. Furthermore Marley Eternit’s fibre cement slates are the only ones manufactured in the UK which can achieve this A+ rating, making them the ideal roofing solution for any house builder looking to construct a sustainable home. Essentially it is important to be aware of our carbon footprints and make investments wherever possible to reduce this. The local councils do have a responsibility to consider both the sustainability and the environmental issue when making decision under the roof replacement scheme. Ma

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