Our Green approach to Sustainable Homes & Conservation

Wherever possible we apply "Green" principles to the management of buildings so as to minimise their negative impact on the environment. This often has the added benefit of reducing costs for our customers. For new schemes we work with Developers to assist them in meeting their sustainability objectives: Whilst the developer will build certain elements of sustainability into the fabric of their schemes, our contribution is in understanding the longer term issues and reflecting these in the management and maintenance regime for each site. We look at the following main areas of sustainability;-

• Energy and carbon emissions - Low energy light bulbs used throughout common areas and leaseholders encouraged through newsletters to use low energy bulbs within their homes. Common parts heating thermostatically controlled wherever possible. Green and/or economy utility tariffs encouraged. Bicycle use encouraged by recommending to developers that secure bicycle storage should be incorporated wherever site layout/space permits. Presently in discussion with a "Car Club" to assess opportunities to offer this service to leaseholders on a corporate membership basis to reduce car reliance and ownership in urban areas. Other areas where on-going management regimes are required include; Combined Heating and Power Systems (CHP) Wind turbines, Solar and other alternative energy systems and recharging facilities for electric cars.
• Water - Efficient management of metering system to discourage waste. Use of drought resistant plants in new planting schemes to reduce water consumption. Use of water butts where possible to minimise wastage of rainwater.
• Materials - Use of environmentally friendly cleaning and other products at all sites. Use of environmentally friendly paint and other products during major works projects,
• Waste - Recycling facilities provided at all properties where site layout/space permits or alternatively, local recycling arrangements are advertised to residents. Encourage composting of garden waste by gardening contractors and residents themselves
• Pollution - Efficient refuse removal procedures are essential on all schemes but particularly so on complex mixed use developments. Waste water discharge into rivers and streams is a factor to be managed in some schemes. Others may have boreholes or waste management installations requiring careful management to avoid adverse impact on the environment.
• Health and Well being - Developers of many larger schemes now provide leisure facilities for the benefit of the residents and often the wider community as well. These range from gyms and swimming pools through to cycle paths, riverside walks and children's play areas . These all require carefully researched and often specialised management and maintenance regimes, for which we have developed strategies in conjunction with our developer clients.
• Ecology - Some new developments have Section 106 planning requirements concerning the maintenance of ecological habitats for particular wildlife species. We have in-house experience of setting up regimes of management for habitats as diverse as Wild Bird sanctuaries and Snail Reserves