Climate change is here. 2022 and 2023 saw greater impact with more abnormal weather – record highs for Britain in August 2022 and record lows in July and August this year. While the government might be debating Net Zero, there are steps businesses of all sizes can take to help.

Housing is going to be one of the biggest sectors where we can do that. From energy efficiency to changing how we harness power, there are some steps you can take as a landlord.

What is Net Zero?

Net Zero means balancing greenhouse gas emissions against how much comes out of the atmosphere. The term is a bit of a misnomer. It may not be possible to cut emissions to zero. Nevertheless, that is the target. The best we can hope for is to reduce emissions to as low as possible. Lower than they are now would be a good start, but ultimately to limit the global temperature increase.

This will mean more green spaces and other countermeasures even while human population increases, using more energy and resources.

Install heat pumps

A much more efficient system than water tanks, even more so than recent energy efficient models as they draw far more heat from much lower units of electricity. Heat pumps come in two types: air source, and ground source. In the former, a coolant draws heat energy using fans. The latter gathers heat from ground-based hot water pipes. Many social landlords are already doing this.

There is a plan to install them in 80% of homes by 2050. The continent is already way ahead of us on this.

Boiler upgrade scheme

Previously known as the Clean Heat Grant, this is a government scheme that allows small domestic buildings to apply for grants to help them to transition to a low carbon heating system. It came into effect in 2022, replacing an earlier scheme. At the same time, the government announced a 0% VAT rate on installing energy efficiency in homes.

Grants of up to £5,000 are currently available; the plan is to install 600,000 heat pumps every year between 2022 and 2028. Eligibility terms and conditions apply.

Better insulation

One of the mainstays of reducing energy waste is insulation. Insulation in lofts is a great way to reduce energy consumption in the winter by keeping heat in. But also, don’t forget to insulate pipes and water tanks. This is a huge energy loss area. Reducing this will not just reduce energy use, but also the cost to your student tenants.

Used in conjunction with triple glazed windows and other energy saving devices, this should put your property in good stead for the EPC changes yet to come.