Environmental

We aim, where possible, to minimise and mitigate our impact on the environment. We work hard to build low carbon, energy efficient new homes reducing our waste and engaging with the industry on new initiatives.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and ecology

Our developments are required, due to the Environment Act 2021, to create a measurable 10% gain to biodiversity, either through habitat retention, enhancement, or creation on site, or by the funding of habitat creation offsite, and then also safeguard it for at least 30 years. This is referred to as Biodiversity Net Gain (“BNG”).

We are working hard to ensure that all our sites will achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of at least 10% from February 2024 onwards. Creating and enhancing habitats will be achieved through the implementation of landscaping and green infrastructure. This includes woodland meadows, swales, protected wildflower meadows and corridors. We work with third parties to achieve tangible local nature recovery, delivering BNG benefits as part of our wider strategy.

Our business strategy includes urban regeneration of brownfield sites. We aim to ensure ecological protection and enhancement by conducting surveys as well as implementing initiatives such as installing bird and bat boxes, and hedgehog holes on most developments.

Water usage

All our house type designs have undergone water efficiency calculations, achieving 94 – 99 litres per person per day (lpppd), below the industry required minimum. This has been achieved by implementing initiatives such as low-flush and dual flush toilets and low flow taps and showers, as well as wastewater heat recovery.

Reducing waste

Our standard house types reduce waste generation from components such as plasterboards. This has helped us to ensure that 98% of construction waste is recycled and diverted away from landfill.

We dispose and recycle our electronic equipment sustainably, partnering with a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling and disposal company.

We ensure that there are recycling bins throughout our offices for food waste, plastic, glass and paper waste. Additionally, our office printing is offset by reforesting. Our paper consumption is analysed, and new trees are planted accordingly.

Reducing the carbon emissions of our new homes

We take our responsibility for minimising our impact on the environment seriously and are continually looking at ways to improve the efficiency of our homes. We aim to reduce the carbon emissions of our new homes by 75-80% from 2025, when compared to homes that are built under the current Building Regulations (2019).

Our new homes are much more environmentally friendly compared with most of the existing housing stock, achieving an EPC rating of B or above. We are replacing some current technologies with low-carbon alternatives to improve heat and hot water systems. Heat loss is also being reduced by using high-quality building fabric, compliance with triple glazing standards, use of wastewater heat recovery, flue gas heat recovery boilers, and heat pumps.

We always fit energy efficient appliances in our homes and work with suppliers who put sustainability at the forefront of their product development. From washing machines to fridges, cleaning to cooking, our white goods incorporate the latest energy saving technology.

Other initiatives on our new homes may include:

Photovoltaic (PV) panels
Electric vehicle (EV) chargers
Boilers with an A energy rating
Low energy light bulbs
Achieving an average SAP rating of 83B
Conducting air pressure testing

Our new homes are aligned with the Government’s ambitious carbon reduction targets enshrined within the Future Homes Standard. This aims to ensure that all new homes contribute to the UK’s carbon emissions target to achieve net zero by 2050.

Our fleet and promoting electric vehicles

To ensure we reduce our carbon footprint and emissions, we will be introducing a new fleet vehicle policy requiring all new cars must have CO2 emissions of 120g/km or below. All our regional offices also have electric vehicle chargers that are available for colleagues and visitors to use.

We have also partnered with Ohme, a leading manufacturer of smart EV charging points to offer their Ohme ePod charger on a range of our new homes.

All Ohme’s EV chargers feature dynamic smart charging technology to connect with the national grid in real time and automatically adjust their charging for drivers to take advantage of low-price charging times with smart off-peak electricity tariffs.

They can also automatically charge when the highest levels of renewable energy are available to help energy providers to balance supply and demand of electricity on the grid.

Roof Profiles

We have recognised the importance of modern methods of construction for a sustainable future in residential development. In 2022, we acquired a timber frame manufacturing company based in Scotland which has capacity to supply off-site timber frame systems for all our new homes that are constructed in our Scotland region.

This facility can diversify into supplying different timber systems and the intellectual property we are developing will assist us to expand our capabilities in this key area.

ISO 9001 Accreditation

Roof Profiles has achieved International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 9001 Accreditation, following the implementation of an ISO 9001 accredited Quality Management system. This allows us to continually monitor quality and identify areas for improvement, giving confidence to our customers.

Structural Timber Association

Roof Profiles is a member of the Structural Timber Association as a Structural Timber Building System Supplier, providing us with benefits such as the STA Quality Assurance Scheme and opportunities to influence legislation and regulation to support the collective objectives of the structural timber sector.

FSC and PEFC certification

Roof Profiles uses timber suppliers that use sustainable timber. We aim to ensure that timber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes.

Sustainable initiatives – Roof Profiles

Sustainability initiatives at Roof Profile’s office and factory have been implemented including recycling office waste, replacing all lighting with efficient LED bulbs, and utilising photovoltaic (PV) panels to supply an average of 30% of its electricity supply.

Industry engagement and initiatives

We have established environmentally related targets to ensure we mitigate our environmental impact.

ESOS

We participate in the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), currently completing phase 3.

Bureau Veritas UK Limited is acting as our lead assessor, providing insight into our energy usage, and providing recommendations for further energy efficiency initiatives.

HBF

We are a member of the Home Builders Federation (HBF). This is the representative body of the home building industry in England and Wales.

This provides us with an opportunity to contribute to national and local discussions about a range of topics, some of which have an environmental impact. Topics include planning policies, the industry’s image and perceptions, customer satisfaction surveys, build quality, industry skills shortages and building regulations.

Future Homes Hub

We are an affiliated member of the Future Homes Hub. We participate in steering groups to discuss issues such as Biodiversity Net Gain, net zero, new policies and Passivhaus standards.

TCFD

We recognise that climate change presents a potential financial risk and will align with the disclosures recommended by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

TCFD aims to improve and increase the reporting of climate-related financial information, providing stakeholders with clear information on the impact of climate change.

This includes the identification of risks and opportunities presented by rising temperatures, climate-related policy, and emerging technologies in our changing world.

Environmental targets

We have established environmentally related targets to ensure we mitigate our environmental impact.

Target

Status

Reduce the carbon emissions by 75-80% compared to homes built under the current Building Regulations (2019).

Ongoing – all our new homes from 2025 onwards.

Achieve a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for all our new sites.

Ongoing – November 2023 for all new large sites April 2024 for all small new sites.

Exceed the industry air pressure testing requirements, achieving a minimum of 5m2/hrm2 for all our new homes.

Achieving – 4.5 to 4 m2/hrm2 for all our new homes.

Exceed the industry lpppd requirements, achieving a maximum of 125lpppd for all our new homes.

Achieving – 94 to 99 lpppd for all our new homes.

Minimise the volume of construction waste going to landfill

Achieving – 98% of waste is recycled, diverting away from landfill.

Our locations

Angus Ayrshire Barnsley Burton On Trent Castleford Chester-le-Street Chesterfield County Durham Derby Derbyshire Dundee Durham East Kilbride East Lothian East Midlands Edinburgh Glasgow Huddersfield Kettering Lanarkshire Lancashire Leamington Spa Leeds Leicester Leicestershire Lincolnshire Market Harborough Middlesbrough Midlothian Newark-on-Trent Newcastle North East North West North Yorkshire Northamptonshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire Pontefract Preston Renfrewshire Retford Scotland Sheffield Shropshire South Yorkshire Stirlingshire Sunderland Wakefield Walsall Warwick West Midlands West Yorkshire York Yorkshire and Humber

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www.avanthomes.co.uk is a site operated by Avant Homes Limited (”Avant”). Avant is registered in England and Wales under company number 03215228 and we have our registered office at Avant House, 6 and 9 Tallys End, Barlborough S43 4WP. Our main trading addresses are listed here. Our VAT number is 181 3492 62.

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