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Decarbonising social housing with Cambrian Slate
The project
Decarbonisation is a challenge facing much of the construction sector. With homes across the country accountable for around 18% of the UK’s total emissions, improving the efficiency of homes is critical to achieving overarching sustainability ambitions.
With over 100,000 properties across its portfolio, Peabody Housing Group has the potential to make a significant impact. However, alongside contributing to national sustainability targets, improving the efficiency of properties across the Group will have a direct impact on residents by providing them with more comfortable, efficient places to call home. The Group also has its own ambitions of achieving net zero carbon by 2050 – and making improvements now will allow that goal to be reached.
The starting point on this journey was to identify the houses within the portfolio which needed the most attention – those with Energy Performance Certificates beneath a D-rating. In fact, the Group had matched a £25 million contribution from the Social Housing Decarbonation fund to make these improvements possible.
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The Challenge
The initial stages of the project focussed on 100 homes, many of which were around 100 years old and in need of significant improvements to bring them up to modern performance standards. As part of this, new roofs were an essential requirement.
As all of the homes identified for improvements were occupied, the main challenge arose from delivering the works safely and in a timely manner in order to reduce disruption for occupants. Axe Roofing, the specialist roofing contractors carrying out the works, needed to carefully plan their activities to allow for this, including erecting temporary roof structures to ensure the properties were habitable during works, and working responsibly to reduce noise throughout the day.
With decarbonisation being the core aim of the project, tile selection for each roof was also an important part of the challenge. Finding a tile that boosted sustainability credentials, contributed towards the long-term efficiency of each home, looked the part, and which would aid straightforward installation was a key challenge.
The Solution: Cambrian Slate
Setting a high standard where sustainability is concerned, the Redland Cambrian Slate tile has become a natural choice on many projects – particularly where there is a need to balance performance, aesthetics, ease of installation and environmental consciousness.
As an interlocking roof slate, Cambrian combines the elegance of natural slate with advanced engineering to deliver a solution that is straightforward to install and provides dependable performance for decades. Made in Wales using more than 60% recycled Welsh slate, these lightweight engineered slate tiles are suitable for pitches as low as 15°, providing the versatility needed to deliver a consistent approach to renovation across the Peabody Housing Group portfolio. Additionally, the interlocking tile design ensures easy installation and a smooth roof aesthetic, allowing contractors to work quickly and deliver a timeless aesthetic.
Impact: creating futureproof homes
As one of the UK’s oldest not-for-profit housing associations, housing over 200,000 people, the Peabody Group is making a real difference and contributing to broader decarbonisation efforts to secure the future of impactful social housing.
For every home, the roof is an essential part of its performance and overall efficiency. This is because roofs provide more than protection from the weather and actually directly inform efficient performance by keeping heat in. The chosen roof tile is an essential part of the roof build-up which makes this possible, delivering tangible benefits for occupants who can enjoy greater levels of comfort and energy efficiency, as well as potentially realising savings on their energy bills.
With the timeless appearance of a slate roof, Cambrian means the London homes have kept their traditional aesthetic – even when long-term efficiency and decarbonisation are driving the improvements agenda. As well as the immediate benefits this provides, it also contributes towards a safe long-term investment for property owners, the Peabody Group.
