Clarion Housing Group launches sector-leading plan mapping route towards net zero
Clarion Housing Group has become the first housing association in the UK to publish its Climate Transition Plan, outlining a pathway towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
It comes as Clarion marks its 125th anniversary and reflects the organisation’s continued commitment to mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change while supporting its residents and communities.
Recent years have seen record-breaking temperatures, flash floods and extreme weather warnings become almost commonplace, shining a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of the built environment and the risks associated with increasing temperatures.
“As the UK’s largest provider of affordable housing, we have a responsibility to lead by example in addressing the climate crisis. That’s why I’m proud that we’ve published our Climate Transition Plan, setting ambitious targets alongside tangible actions to reduce our environmental impact. Our plan is focused on reducing carbon emissions, but the main objective is to enable healthier, warmer and cheaper homes for our residents, ensuring that they are not left behind in this transition. We are already making strides towards net zero, but we know that transformational change requires collaboration, funding, and shared ambition, and we stand ready to help lead the way.”
Clarion’s Climate Transition Plan will build on the social landlord’s work to tackle these emerging challenges, with key focus areas including:
- Retrofitting 42,000 homes with fabric upgrades to improve efficiency.
- Electrifying heating systems for 70,000 homes, moving away from fossil fuels.
- Delivering 80,000 solar installations to help reduce residents’ energy bills.
Through a series of actionable steps, it outlines how the housing association plans to scale up its programme of retrofitting existing homes, drive down embodied carbon in new developments, and ensure its operations align with net zero ambitions by decarbonising its heat networks, fleet and workplaces.
All of this reflects Clarion’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions coupled with a drive to support residents by improving efficiency and cutting energy bills, ensuring that nobody is left behind or disadvantaged in the transition to net zero.
“In developing our Climate Transition Plan, we’ve been transparent about the methods we’ve used and the challenges we face as we move towards our net zero carbon target. We want others in the sector and beyond to use this plan, challenge it and engage with us on it so that it improves over time and we all collectively achieve our goals. We know we must accelerate action, and our Climate Transition Plan is designed to evolve as new data, technology, and opportunities emerge. Ultimately, it is through engagement, partnerships and innovation that we will find new solutions that enable us to bridge our gap to net zero carbon by 2050, and we’re committed to meeting this challenge head-on.”
Miles Lewis, Director of Sustainability at Clarion Housing Group
Clarion has already made strides towards its net zero carbon ambitions, thanks to innovative projects including its partnership with Octopus Energy and The Hill Group to develop the UK’s first affordable rent ‘Zero Bills’ homes, guaranteeing zero energy bills for residents for five years*.
Such partnerships will be a key pillar of Clarion’s work to close the projected gap between emissions and the reductions needed to achieve net zero identified by its Climate Transition Plan.
In addition, to help bridge this gap Clarion is calling on the government to collaborate on long-term funding solutions, investment in green skills, and policy incentives that enable sustainable housing growth and support cross-sector collaboration to scale new solutions.
*Please note that Octopus Energy’s ‘Zero Bills’ tariff does not include EV charging.
“Clarion is strongly aligned with the UKGBC’s mission to improve the sustainability of the built environment having partnered with us on the important ‘Upgrading Britain’s Homes’ and ‘Regenerative Places’ campaigns to drive change. Clarion’s Climate Transition Plan highlights the twin challenges of driving down operational and embodied emissions across our domestic built environment, two of the most significant areas of focus in the UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, alongside the need to deliver much needed affordable housing in the UK. Importantly it emphasises the focus on doing so in a way which supports the just transition by bringing the multiple benefits of reaching net zero to their residents.”
Smith Mordak, Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)
By publishing its Climate Transition Plan, Clarion joins a prestigious group of organisations that have disclosed their pathways to net zero carbon, including Aviva, the Bank of England, and the BBC.
A full review of the Climate Transition Plan will take place every three to five years, and Clarion will provide progress updates through its annual ‘Making a Difference’ ESG reports.