Leading social landlord Adra is taking action on climate change to decarbonise the organisation and the homes it provides and drive sustainable futures for communities across North Wales. The HA launched its decarbonisation strategy alongside Welsh Housing Minister Julie James at HOMES UK.
Adra is among the first housing associations in Wales to show its commitment to the Welsh Government’s drive to decarbonise homes by 2030 and launched its strategy last week at the UK-wide virtual HOMES UK conference.
The housing provider is working proactively with the Welsh Government to support its green economic recovery plans and collaboratively with other partners to deliver a real and lasting impact on the climate emergency agenda, investing in sustainable communities to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve energy efficiency for residents across its 6,400 homes.
Adra’s strategy is two-fold, decarbonising its business activities as well as its existing and new-build housing stock, which will be heated and powered by clean energy sources. These will include solar energy, using air source heat pumps and developing homes to the highest zero carbon Passivhaus standard, minimising heat loss and reducing costs for residents.
The social landlord’s ambitious development pipeline of 1,200 affordable new homes over the next five years will use the latest modern methods of construction, using local SMEs to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as creating jobs and providing training for colleagues who will develop new skills to deliver zero carbon homes.
With funding from the Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme, Adra has started its initial pilot to retrofit 50 homes to develop the best approach to retrofitting all of its stock. The deep retrofitting of its total stock is a long-term investment estimated at £120m and is due to commence over the next three years, with support from the Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing Programme.
Julie James, Minister for Housing and Local Government of Wales, said: “I’m delighted to see Adra’s commitment to addressing our climate emergency and reducing bills for tenants across North Wales. This is an exciting time for the housing sector as we work together to deliver more affordable, zero carbon homes, supporting the Welsh construction industry and creating training opportunities. I look forward to seeing the retrofit and new construction in progress.”
Ffrancon Williams, CEO of Adra, commented: “We are pleased to launch our decarbonisation strategy alongside the Housing Minister at Homes UK; never has the importance of a warm, secure and affordable home been more important. We’re taking action on climate change as part of our collective commitment to the Well-Being of Future Generations.
“At Adra, we consider lowering energy consumption as being key to helping reduce running costs for our residents and reducing fuel poverty which is at its most striking as we enter the Winter months and during this pandemic.
“Adra is well placed to collaborate with many stakeholders. In Gwynedd, there is a strong network of community energy social enterprises and charities we have already started to work in partnership with. We all need to work together to make a difference.”
Linda Campbell, Decarbonisation Champion for Adra’s Board, added: “Our new decarbonisation strategy will bring benefits in terms of new jobs, skills and economic activity and release growing numbers of residents from the real threat of fuel poverty.”
Header image shows Ffrancon Williams, CEO of Adra, (bottom left) discussing the decarbonisation of homes across North Wales with Welsh Housing Minister Julie James top left.
