John Taphouse has been appointed as the new Head of Asset Management Strategy for LiveWest and will play a key role in supporting the organisation’s drive to achieve Net Zero.
The 39,000-home landlord has recruited John to help it make the best investment decisions on the homes it manages. John will also play a key role in ensuring LiveWest’s homes are affordable to heat and contribute positively towards the target to ensure its properties are net carbon zero before the Government’s 2050 deadline.
John arrives at LiveWest with a wealth of experience in the housing sector having launched his career as a maintenance surveyor in East London. Since then, he has managed a number of aspects of housing property before specialising in strategic asset management. John joined LiveWest on 17th May and will have a key responsibility for delivering LiveWest’s asset management strategy.
John said: “I’m delighted to be taking up this new role at an important time for LiveWest as we continue to build much-needed homes for the people we serve and improve our existing homes to address affordability and climate change.
“LiveWest has a great reputation and, now I’ve experienced the culture, I can see why this is deserved.
“Before arriving at LiveWest, I was doing short-term interim management assignments at housing providers in Wales and the South West. I was enjoying this but, when the opportunity at LiveWest came up, I had to go for it. And I’ve arrived at a good time. We’re about to make a step change in the way we manage our data step up our data management capabilities to make sure our decision making is as well informed as possible.”
LiveWest has launched an ambitious Cby28 programme to bring 9,000 of its poorest performing properties up to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2028, two years ahead of the deadline set by government.
The Cby28 programme will see LiveWest investing approximately £40m into its existing housing and underlines the commitment of LiveWest to reduce its carbon footprint and improve the energy efficiency of its homes.
John added: “Social housing plays such an important role in the wellbeing of our society. Building and maintaining decent, safe, warm homes leverages benefits in health, employment and education.
“We need to find a way to show the impact of the work we do and homes we provide has on jobs, training, GP visits and hospital admissions.”
Nathan Cronk, Director of Asset Management, said: “I am delighted to welcome John into our Asset Management team at such a crucial time.
“Not only are we embarking on a programme to ensure all our homes achieve net zero by 2050, but we are also ensuring that our homes are safe, affordable to heat and provide a place our residents love to call home.
“With new technology playing a key role in achieving these aims, it is essential that we use all the data at our disposal to make the correct investment decisions. We are using remote sensors and the internet of things to monitor the way our residents use their homes and John and his team will use the data that we collect to help inform design improvements that we will deliver through our ambitious retrofit programmes.”
