Green week – our commitment to sustainability
This week (12 – 16 June) we’re celebrating The Great Big Green Week – the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.
Our purpose at settle is to help people who are struggling to find a place to live, and to help residents stay in your homes comfortably so you can live the lives you choose.
Creating sustainable and energy efficient homes, neighbourhoods and a sustainable business is fundamental to delivering our purpose.
As part of this we’ve published our Sustainability Plan 2023-2025 which shares our vision of how we’ll include sustainability in all aspects of our work, such as in our existing homes, new homes, offices and operations.
Our recent grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) will help us to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of our homes. We plan to use the grant and our match funding to retrofit over 670 homes over the next two years. Our ongoing planned investment programme will also improve the energy efficiency of homes that aren’t included in the SHDF programme, by insulating homes and doing things like replacing doors and windows.
Throughout Green week we’ll be carrying out a number of events and actions to mark the week and show our commitment to working more sustainably and protecting our environment. Some of these include:
- Neighbourhood action days in Royston which will include opportunities for flower planting and replacing fencing, as well as talking to residents.
- Publishing a webinar for residents with an update on our sustainability plans.
- Welcoming some students from Year 10 at the Priory School in Hitchin to our offices to hear about ways we are working to be more sustainable in our development of new homes.
- Inviting residents to a pilot upcycling workshop for residents on the Westmill estate in Hitchin.
- Organising events for colleagues, including a lunchtime session on how we’re continuing to embed sustainability across the business, setting up our own gardening club and a second-hand swap shop.
We will include updates on our website throughout the week from some of these events!
