Towards Net Zero Affordable Housing – Lessons from Sweden and the UK
The virtual symposiums below aim to bring together researchers, practitioners and policy makers to discuss the way forward towards Net Zero Affordable Housing in Sweden and the UK and learn from best practices in those countries.
Time: Wed 2021-06-23 13.00 - 15.00
Location: Zoom
Contact:
Speakers:
- Elena Malakhatka (KTH, Live-in Lab)
- Christina Salmhofer (City of Stockholm, Sustainability Strategist)
- Jörgen Lööf (ElectriCITY Innovation, CEO)
- Meagan McCollum (University of Tulsa)
- Paul Ruyssevelt (UCL)
- Bertram I. Steininger (KTH)
- Stanimira Milcheva (UCL)
- Helen Collins (Savills, UK Board – Affordable Housing)
- Peter Denton (Hyde Housing, CEO)
- Pete Gladwell (Legal & General, Head Public Sector Partnerships)
- Paul Hackett (Optivo, Chief Executive)
- Jonathan Higgs (Raven Housing Trust, Chief Executive)
- Karin Stockerl (Optivo, Director of Asset Strategy & Services)
The full programme (time is stated in UK time zone) and free registration can be found here:
14 June 2021 – 15:00-17:00 (Central European Time) – The Swedish Perspective:
tinyurl.com/Zero-SE
23 June 2021 – 13:00-15:00 (Central European Time) – The UK Perspective:
tinyurl.com/Zero-UK
The political and societal support towards reducing carbon emissions has considerably increased over the last couple of years and energy used in buildings has some of the highest CO2 emissions across all sectors. The energy used in residential buildings contributes to 11% of total emissions, at par with that from road transport.
In April 2021, the UK government announced that it will set the world’s most ambitious climate change target into law to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. The UK has also adopted a net zero emissions target by 2050. The City of Stockholm sets the goals to be a fossil free and climate positive city by 2040 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a maximum of 1.5 tonnes of CO2e per inhabitant by 2023.
Improving the energy efficiency of existing and new buildings is therefore becoming more so important and a constructive dialogue needs to be established how those targets can be achieved in the housing sector not compromising the affordability of housing and considering the needs of the residents and the local community. Sweden is seen as a leader in net zero housing as well as a country which has been successfully tackling housing unaffordability.