HomeHolder is committed to promoting sustainability and ensuring that student property in Durham City can be managed as sustainably as possible, leaving the very smallest environmental footprint as possible. Concern for the environment and the promotion of a broader sustainability agenda are integral to our business activities and is embodied in all properties under management.

Our Sustainability Definition and Ambition 

We endorse the spirit of the ‘Brundtland’ and ‘Caring for the Earth’ definitions of sustainable development: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’ and “improving the quality of life while living within the earth’s carrying capacities”.

In short, we conduct business in a way that enables all people to realise their potential and improve their quality of life while protecting and enhancing the earth’s natural capital.

Principles

Our Sustainability Policy is based upon the following principles:

• To comply with, and exceed where practicable, all applicable legislation, regulations and codes of practice
• Integrate sustainability considerations into all our business decisions and ongoing property management
• To ensure that all staff, sub-contractors and tenants are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it
• To ensure that the utilities consumed and materials required for the upkeep of managed properties are as renewable and sustainable as possible
• To minimise the impact on sustainability of all office and transportation activities

In travelling we will:

• Walk, cycle and/or use public transport to attend meetings, site visits etc, apart from in exceptional circumstances where the alternatives are impractical and/or cost prohibitive
• Include the full costs of more sustainable forms of transport in our financial proposals, rather than the least cost option which may involve travelling by car or air. Where the only practical alternative is to fly, we will include costs for full air fares rather than budget airlines in our financial proposals, and appropriate carbon offsets
• Avoid physically travelling to meetings etc where alternatives are available and practical, such as using teleconferencing, video conferencing and efficient timing of meetings to avoid multiple trips
• Reduce the need for our staff to travel by supporting alternative working arrangements, including home working etc, and promote the use of public transport by locating our offices in accessible locations
• Use an emissions recording scheme for business travel to monitor our impact

In the purchase of office equipment and consumables we will:

• Minimise our use of paper and other office consumables, for example by double-siding all paper used, and identifying opportunities to reduce waste
• As far as possible arrange for the reuse or recycling of office waste, including paper, computer supplies and redundant equipment
• Reduce the energy consumption of office equipment by purchasing energy efficient equipment and good housekeeping
• Only purchase fair-trade and/or organic food and drinks

In property administration, utility provision and maintenance we will:

• Source electricity and gas only from suppliers offering 100% renewable energy
• Fit properties with smart meters where possible to ensure that energy use is measurable and improvements monitorable
• Fit properties with water meters where possible to ensure usage can be closely monitored
• Fit all new sanitary goods and taps with water saving devices
• Ensure that all properties under management are as energy efficient as practicable and where improvements would be feasible, that there is a plan in place to implement such improvements
• Donate all old but serviceable furniture to local furniture re-use projects and recycle any waste according to capabilities of Durham County Council
• Take all unclaimed possessions at the end of tenancies to re-use centres or recycle them in line with the capabilities of Durham County Council
• Ensure that any sub-contractors employed take account of our sustainability policy in their work and use of materials
• Include a copy of our Sustainability Policy in all our proposals to clients and to tenants upon commencement of tenancies
• Ensure that furniture containing timber components and any other timber products are recycled or from well-managed, sustainable sources and are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified