Environmental commitment

Ashfield Homes is committed to minimising the detrimental effect our actions have on the environment. Below are examples of environmental initiatives and practices that we have undertaken and continue to work on.

Environmental initiatives 

In the home

• Improved insulation to about 2500 properties over the last two years.
• We have distributed over 10,000 energy saving light bulbs, free of charge, to our customers, including all new tenants.
• All new heating boilers that we install are A-rated appliances.
• We have an Energy Performance Officer who carries out energy performance assessments within the properties we manage before they are re-let.
• Over 2000 Smart Meters and 2000 Power Down units have been supplied to our customers. These products help our customers to monitor and reduce the amount of energy they use as well as possibly saving money. 
• Most of the paints we buy and use for painting homes are water based rather than oil based.
• Produced articles in our Homes4Rent magazine, to help our customers reduce their impact upon the environment and save money.

Out and about

• We have a Cycle to Work scheme for Company employees.
• Replaced older company vehicles with newer more economical and environmentally friendly models.
• We have a tracking system that allows us to monitor the movement of our vehicles, ensuring we keep distances travelled and emmissions as low as possible.

In the office and at work  

• We have an ongoing campaign to reduce the amount of paper we use.
• Lighting sensors have been installed within our Head Office and our Stores to reduce energy usage.
• Our Construction Partner provides us with information in an electronic format, helping to reduce the amount of paper we use and we are seeking to do this with other partners too.
• The use of text message reminders for repair appointments will eventually reduce the amount of letters sent out as well as providing a reminder for customers of our visit.  
• We are currently testing out paperless meetings by using technology instead.  
• Our Stores has been awarded the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System accreditation, meaning that we search the market to buy, where possible, the most environmentally friendly products.
• We have recycling initiatives involving paper, timber, glass, inert waste and old uniforms/overalls.
• We collect and use rain water from our buildings.
• We look at the products that we use, so that when they are replaced we can do so with more environmentally friendly alternatives wherever possible.
• We have made bird boxes and hedgehog homes from waste timber, which have been provided to local schools and wildlife organisations.

Your ideas

We are currently looking at options to further reduce the environmental impact of our operations and are working towards an overall strategy to achieve this.  If you have any ideas how the Company may work in a more environmentally friendly way please contact us by email or telephone.