Step Up to Net Zero
Parkhead Housing Association has been involved with the Step Up to Net Zero Programme (SUTNZ) in 2024, and that meant PHA was given an action plan to follow and try implement each target in each section. The action plan had three sections – net zero, circular economy, and waste management. They covered all aspects of the organisation internally and externally regarding the push to become net zero, more sustainable, less carbon heavy, and more environmentally aware / friendly.
The SUTNZ programme has allowed for PHA to self-reflect on the organisation’s operations, as well as future projects / changes that will positively benefit tenants, staff, and the local area.
Examples from the SUTNZ action plan:
- Calculating the carbon footprint of Parkhead Housing Association.
- Organising and delivering the ECO WEEK (18th to 22nd of March) for the community.
- Organising and renovating the waste management & recycling of the PHA office buildings
- Applying for different funding avenues for PHA related to heating, homes, and the community.
- Running a trial for a fuel consumption-based app for PHA staff.
- Assessing whether EV electric car chargers can be installed privately and publicly.
- A tenant led case study into old buildings vs new buildings and living in them.
Parkhead Housing Association also has an environmental strategy / net zero plan in place that actively addressing PHA’s carbon footprint, and how PHA can reduce it moving forward in alignment with the Scottish Government’s net zero target of 2045.
Therefore, PHA will have various interim targets in the meantime that address scope 1,2,3 emissions within the business. The targets and the plan itself can be found at the bottom of the page where the net zero plan / environmental strategy is attached.
Below are some quick tips / home improvements PHA tenants can do to improve heating in their own homes:
Quick tips and home improvements to help improve heating in your home:
- If possible, keep a gap between your radiators and furniture, and make sure curtains aren’t hanging in front of your radiators too.
- Also, if possible, remove radiator covers to maximise the amount of heat produced by them.
- Lastly, bleeding radiators to remove cold spots will also help them work effectively.
- The heating costs less to come on when you need it, rather than having it on low all day before you come into the household.
- Closing internal doors over is a simple way to retain heat in rooms where no one is present inside of them.
- Other intuitive ways of saving heat are the approach of - heat the person, not the space. Therefore, investing in hot water bottles, electric blankets, and thermal clothing.
Links to useful information regarding energy saving techniques, the SUTNZ programme, sustainability and more (more links to documents once the SUTNZ programme finishes):