Jones, Keith and Cooper, Justine (2007) The role of routine maintenance in improving the sustainability of existing social housing. Proceedings of The European Network for Housing Research Conference Sustainable Urban Areas Rotterdam 2007. The European Network for Housing Research, Uppsala University.

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Abstract

The current UK social housing stock accounts for approximately 20% of total UK housing. Maintaining this stock costs approximately £1.25 billion per annum (excludes improvement grant). However the effectiveness of this expenditure against the sustainability agenda is questionable. The theoretical models used for determining maintenance need (the stock condition survey) and
prioritising maintenance works (funding availability) are primarily economic based and do not generally address the wider sustainability issues associated with environmental and social impact. Also, they have proved largely ineffective in addressing changing demands placed on social
housing and have resulted in a significant quality backlog. Further, although the Decent Homes
Standard has attempted to address this quality backlog, its reliance upon existing theories has
resulted in very little improvement to the environmental performance of existing homes. Thus, a
new theoretical approach to built asset maintenance that considers the sustainability agenda is
urgently required. The extent to which routine maintenance (both planned and responsive) can be used as a vehicle to
improve the quality of social housing in a way that addresses the sustainability agenda
(environmental, social and economic impacts) is one focus of a 5 year research programme (EPSRC
– IDCOP) underway in the UK. This paper will present a critical review of the theory underpinning
built asset maintenance (based on a desk study and questionnaire survey of key industry figures)
and identify the weaknesses in the theory for addressing the sustainability agenda. In particular the
paper will: consider how the sustainability agenda impacts built asset maintenance strategies;identify the limitation of the current strategies; and outline a new theoretical basis for built asset management that integrates the sustainability principles into maintenance strategies (both responsive and planned)

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	social Housing, sustainability, maintenance
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Pre-2014 Departments:	School of Architecture, Design & Construction School of Architecture, Design & Construction > Sustainable Buildings Research Group
Related URLs:	Organisation Organisation Organisation
Last Modified:	29 Jan 2020 12:33
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/3013

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