This training will give attendees a broad, entry-level introduction to ideas of sustainability, net zero, decarbonisation and climate resilience in housing.
The UK has a legally binding commitment to stop its contribution to climate change by 2050. Housing organisations have an important role to play in meeting this target.
At the same time, housing organisations are taking steps to become more sustainable, which includes making homes warmer and cheaper to heat for residents.
As we increasingly install new low-carbon heating technologies in our homes, and put policies in place to respond to floods and storms, all housing professionals will need to have a good understanding of the importance of sustainability for their homes, residents and communities.
What will I learn?
This course will cover the main government policies, legislation and strategies linked to sustainability, and explore what climate change and net zero mean for different teams in housing organisations.
From this training, you will learn:
- What sustainability is, as well as broader ideas like net zero, decarbonisation, fuel poverty, climate change and climate resilience
- The contribution our homes and organisations make to climate change
- The importance of improving homes to make them warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat
- The main types of heating technology that are in use to make our homes low-carbon and green
- The ways we need to support residents to understand and use new heating technologies
- How sustainability can make homes healthier by eliminating damp and mould
- The ways our climate and weather are expected to change in the next two decades, and the possible impacts on our homes and residents
- The main government strategies and legislation relevant to sustainability, such as the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Energy Act 2023.
Who should attend?
This training course is aimed at all housing professionals who would like to gain a better understanding of sustainability and its importance to housing.
The course is appropriate for all non-specialists, but will be of particular interest to repairs and maintenance professionals, resident engagement professionals, finance professionals, tenancy and allocations professionals, and professionals working in broader housing management services.
It will also be of interest to new entrants to sustainability-focused roles in housing, who are interested in obtaining a broad overview of relevant issues.
Benefits of attending
Attendees will gain an understanding of the importance of sustainability for their organisations and for their individual roles, the importance of transitioning to net zero carbon emissions, and what this means for their homes, residents and communities.
Attendees will be better equipped to play a role in the work that their organisations are doing to be more sustainable and support residents with any queries they may have about changes that will be made to their homes.
Dr Matthew Scott
Dr Matthew Scott is a senior policy officer at CIH, where he leads the policy and practice work on net zero and sustainability.
Matthew has a broad expertise in this area, developed over a series of roles in the academic and third sectors. He completed a PhD at Newcastle University in 2018, and subsequently worked in academic research and teaching roles focused on sustainability, low-carbon heating, and the UK’s transition to net zero.
Prior to joining CIH, he also worked at a national fuel poverty charity, developing research on how sustainability transitions impact on fuel poor and social housing residents.
He published his work in peer-reviewed academic journals, and has several writing credits in other publications, such as the British Medical Journal and the UK Housing Review.
How to book your place
You can book your place by selecting 'Pay now' at the top of this page and completing our online application form. You will need to sign in or create a 'My CIH' account. You can find instructions below.
Before booking, please ensure you have your payment details to hand, and a PO number if your organisation is paying for your training.
To apply for this training course you will need to register for a My CIH account.
To create your account, visit My CIH page and click the 'Sign up now' link to follow the steps to create your account. You can read our step-by-step guide to creating an account.
If you already have a My CIH account, just follow the sign in by entering your email address and password as usual.
Are you having trouble logging in or creating your account? Please read our step-by-step guide or call our membership services team on 024 7685 1700 or email membership.services@cih.org.
