Sustainability Strategy

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

2026-2030

1. INTRODUCTION

Sustainability is central to One Manchester’s role as a social housing provider and to the long-term quality, affordability and performance of its homes and neighbourhoods. This strategy sets out the approach to 2030, with clear links to Manchester’s 2038 zero carbon ambition and the national net zero target by 2050.

Sustainability is not a separate environmental programme; it is part of good asset management, customer service, financial planning, risk management and responsible business. Investment, repairs, development, procurement and neighbourhood decisions all influence carbon, energy affordability, health, resilience, biodiversity and long-term asset value.

The strategy responds to rising expectations around climate change, fuel poverty, resident wellbeing, biodiversity and ESG reporting, while keeping customers first through warmer homes, lower energy demand, healthier living environments and practical support where homes or technologies change.

One Manchester starts from a positive position, with investment already delivered in insulation, heating improvements, high-rise external wall insulation, retrofit pilots, renewable heating and grant-funded energy efficiency. Most homes are assessed as EPC C or above on a combined EPC and modelled
basis, but this must be strengthened through better data, clearer standards and a mature pathway beyond EPC C.

Corporate alignment: This strategy supports the Corporate Plan priorities of People, Place and Prosperity and the ambition to deliver better, faster and cheaper services without compromising safety, quality or customer outcomes.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this strategy is to set out how One Manchester will embed sustainability across its homes, neighbourhoods, services and business operations. It provides a clear delivery framework that translates the environmental ambitions in the ESG Strategy and the investment priorities in the Asset Management Strategy 2026-30 into practical actions, measurable outcomes and informed decisions. The strategy will help ensure sustainability is considered consistently alongside safety, compliance, affordability, customer outcomes, carbon reduction, climate resilience and long-term asset value.

The sustainability strategy will:

• Provide a clear framework for prioritising investment where it delivers the greatest combined benefit for customers, homes, communities and the organisation.
• Support evidence-led decisions for homes with poorer energy performance, incomplete or historic data, complex retrofit needs, damp and mould risks, excess cold, overheating concerns or wider investment challenges.
• Guide choices between improvement, exemption, regeneration, remodelling or disposal where this is required to protect value, affordability and long-term sustainability. 
• Embed sustainability within day-to-day asset management, repairs, planned investment, procurement, new development, customer engagement and operational decision-making.
• Strengthen governance and assurance by linking delivery to compliance, performance, resident outcomes and regular reporting to the Investment and Growth Committee and Board.
• Remain adaptable as policy, regulation, funding, technology, supply-chain capacity and customer needs continue to change.

This strategy applies to One Manchester’s homes and associated assets, and builds on the strong foundations established through the previous Sustainability Action Plan. It recognises the progress already made while providing a clear framework for carrying forward remaining commitments into the next phase of delivery.

From the previous plan, 14 actions have been completed and a further 5 actions transferring into the new Sustainability Action Plan 2026-30. This ensures continuity, clearer ownership and ongoing assurance, while allowing the strategy to reflect changing regulation, funding opportunities, customer needs and organisational priorities.

3. OBJECTIVE OF THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

Primary objective: The Sustainability Strategy will ensure One Manchester provides homes and places that are warm, healthy, affordable to run, climate resilient and progressively lower carbon. It sets a clear, evidence-led pathway for improving energy performance, reducing emissions and embedding sustainability into asset, investment and operational decisions.

By 2030, One Manchester will have a stronger evidence base for energy performance, carbon impact, climate risk and sustainability need across its homes and operational assets. This will support a position where all One Manchester retained homes are EPC C or above, or exempt, and create a stronger platform for future decarbonisation.

The strategy also responds to a tightening regulatory regime. MEES expectations, Awaab’s Law, Decent Homes reform, HHSRS requirements, damp and mould scrutiny, heat network regulation including HNTAS, building safety duties and stronger ESG reporting all increase the need for reliable data, transparent decisions and demonstrable resident outcomes. The strategy will therefore prioritise fabric, ventilation, affordable warmth, planned investment alignment and clear choices where homes require improvement, exemption, regeneration or disposal.

• Operate within the full legal and regulatory framework, with customer safety and compliance prioritised above all other sustainability, investment or net zero objectives.
• Strengthen sustainability data to support investment, assurance and regulatory readiness.
• Improve fabric performance, ventilation, energy efficiency and affordable warmth.
• Ensure all One Manchester retained homes are EPC C or above, or exempt, by 2030.
• Reduce emissions from homes, heat networks, operational assets, fleet, procurement and major projects.
• Align sustainability investment with stock condition, compliance, customer priorities, external funding opportunities and financial capacity.
• Build resilience to overheating, excess cold, flooding, biodiversity loss and future regulatory change.

4. OVERVIEW OF ONE MANCHESTER STOCK PORTFOLIO

One Manchester manages a diverse portfolio of more than 12,800 homes across Greater Manchester, alongside a small number of non-residential and community assets. The characteristics of this portfolio are central to the sustainability challenge: age, property type, building complexity, heat networks, data quality, existing energy performance and long-term investment need will all shape the pace, cost and deliverability of the route to warmer, healthier, lower-carbon homes and net zero.

The overall condition and performance of the portfolio provide a good platform, but the route to sustainability and net zero will not be uniform across all homes. The most material priorities are to improve the reliability of energy and condition data, target investment towards the homes and buildings with the greatest sustainability need, align retrofit with planned works, maximise external funding, develop affordable decarbonisation options for heat networks and complex buildings, and ensure that customer affordability and comfort remain central to every decision.

5. PRINCIPLES

The five principles provide the practical framework for delivering the Sustainability Strategy and translating its objectives into clear decisions, actions and outcomes.

PRINCIPLE 1: CUSTOMER PRIORITIES FIRST

Customer priorities must sit at the centre of the Sustainability Strategy because sustainability only succeeds if it improves residents’ lived experience. The strategy must therefore deliver warmer, healthier, safer and more affordable homes while recognising customer vulnerability, disruption, choice, accessibility and the need for clear communication before, during and after works.

One Manchester already has established customer insight routes through complaints, repairs feedback, planned works engagement, scrutiny activity and neighbourhood relationships. This provides a useful foundation, but sustainability decisions have not always been consistently shaped by customer evidence, particularly where investment choices involve retrofit disruption, new technologies, changes to heating systems or different expectations about how homes are used.

Through this plan, customer engagement will move from consultation on individual projects to a more systematic approach that informs priorities, design standards, delivery choices and aftercare. This means using customer insight to test whether sustainability works reduce energy demand, improve comfort, minimise disruption and support people to use their homes and new technologies confidently.

1. Establish clear customer engagement standards for sustainability and retrofit works, including communication, consent, disruption planning and aftercare.
2. Use customer insight, complaints, repairs data and vulnerability information to inform how schemes are prioritised and designed.
3. Create resident feedback routes for retrofit heat-network changes, clean heat pilots and major sustainability projects.
4. Provide practical information and support so residents understand how to use new measures, controls and technologies effectively.
5. Monitor post-completion outcomes, including comfort, affordability, satisfaction, repeat repairs and unintended consequences.

PRINCIPLE 2: FABRIC FIRST THEN CLEAN HEAT

A fabric-first approach is essential because reducing energy demand is usually the most reliable way to improve comfort, affordability, building performance and carbon outcomes. Clean heat will be an important part of the longer-term pathway, but it must be introduced where homes are suitable, residents are supported and the operational, financial and maintenance implications are understood.

One Manchester has already invested in measures such as insulation, heating improvements, high-rise external wall insulation, pilot retrofit activity and grant-funded energy efficiency schemes. The portfolio position is relatively strong, with more than 90% of homes currently assessed as EPC C or above on the available combined EPC and modelled basis, but this masks variation in data age, building fabric, ventilation, heat loss, resident experience and the suitability of homes for low and zero carbon heating.

The next phase must therefore move beyond isolated measures and create a consistent One Manchester retrofit approach. This will align fabric, ventilation, moisture risk, electrical readiness, heating replacement cycles and planned investment so that homes are improved in the right sequence and clean heat is deployed only where it is technically appropriate, affordable and capable of delivering good customer outcomes.

1. Define and apply a One Manchester Retrofit Standard based on fabric-first, ventilation, moisture management, resident usability, whole-home performance and funder requirements.
2. Integrate sustainability checks into roof, window, door, boiler, rewiring, façade and major component replacement programmes.
3. Prioritise fabric, ventilation and controls before clean heat wherever this improves affordability, comfort and technical readiness.
4. Develop clear decision routes for homes, flats, high-rise buildings, Independent Living schemes and heat-network properties.
5. Test clean heat and renewable technologies through targeted pilots before wider rollout, using evidence from cost, performance, maintenance and resident experience.
6. Build a long-term heat and decarbonisation pathway that aligns with investment capacity, regulatory change and routes to maximise external funding.

PRINCIPLE 3: EVIDENCE LED INVESTMENT

Evidence-led investment is critical because sustainability choices must be targeted where they will make the greatest difference and be capable of withstanding regulatory, financial and customer scrutiny. Reliable data allows One Manchester to prioritise poorer-performing homes, understand cost and deliverability, maximise external funding and make transparent decisions where improvement is not straightforward.

The current evidence base is improving. Stock condition information is available for around 98% of homes, with work underway to reach full coverage and move to rolling five-year surveys. Energy information is held for more than 11,500 homes, but approximately 4,500 homes require a new or refreshed EPC assessment, which means the current baseline must be strengthened before decisions about EPC C, MEES readiness and future net zero pathways can be fully assured.

The strategy will therefore place greater weight on integrated asset intelligence, combining EPCs, stock condition, component data, repairs history, damp and mould insight, heat-network performance, climate risk, customer vulnerability and financial modelling. This will support better prioritisation, stronger options appraisal and clearer evidence for homes that require investment, exemption, regeneration, remodelling or disposal decisions.

1. Complete the accelerated EPC refresh programme, prioritising homes with no EPC, expired EPCs, older assessments and modelled performance below EPC C.
2. Reach 100% stock condition coverage in 2026/27 and maintain rolling five-year survey data thereafter.
3. Integrate EPC, stock condition, repairs, damp and mould, component, heat-network, customer and climate-risk data into investment planning.
4. Use archetype analysis and options appraisal to define the most appropriate route for poorer-performing and complex homes.
5. Confirm evidence-based investment, exemption or asset-decision routes for homes that cannot reasonably achieve EPC C or equivalent.
6. Use the strengthened evidence base to maximise external funding, support performance reporting, strengthen regulatory assurance and inform business planning.

PRINCIPLE 4: AFFORDABLE WARMTH AND HEALTH

Affordable warmth and health are central to the strategy because sustainability is not only about carbon reduction; it is also about whether residents can live comfortably, safely and affordably in their homes. The most successful sustainability investment will reduce energy demand, improve thermal comfort,
prevent damp and mould, support ventilation and contribute to better health and wellbeing outcomes.

One Manchester has a strong housing quality baseline, with approximately 99% Decent Homes compliance and existing investment in insulation, heating and building performance. However, customer outcomes are not fully captured by EPC ratings alone. Homes can meet minimum standards but still experience issues linked to excess cold, overheating, condensation, poor ventilation, high running costs, repeat repairs or vulnerability-related impacts.

The plan will therefore connect sustainability more explicitly with health, housing quality and compliance requirements, including Awaab’s Law, Decent Homes expectations, HHSRS risks, damp and mould prevention and future climate pressures. This will help ensure investment improves real outcomes for residents, not just asset metrics or regulatory indicators.

1. Prioritise homes where investment can reduce excess cold, damp and mould risk, condensation, poor ventilation, high energy demand and repeat repairs.
2. Use repairs, complaints, housing quality and vulnerability data to identify where sustainability interventions can deliver the greatest resident benefit.
3. Align sustainability works with Awaab’s Law, Decent Homes, HHSRS, building safety and wider housing quality requirements.
4. Ensure retrofit specifications address ventilation, moisture risk, usability and resident comfort alongside EPC improvement.
5. Monitor customer outcomes after works, including affordability, comfort, satisfaction, confidence using technologies and recurring defects.
6. Use learning from casework, inspections and completed schemes to refine standards and prioritisation.

PRINCIPLE 5: PLACE NATURE AND COMMUNITY VALUE

Place, nature and community value matter because sustainability extends beyond individual homes. The quality of neighbourhoods, green spaces, biodiversity, local resilience and community participation all influence wellbeing, pride, climate adaptation and the long-term value of One Manchester’s places.

One Manchester has opportunities across its estates, open spaces, communal areas, development sites and community assets to improve environmental quality and social value. The current position is that biodiversity and estate-level climate resilience are not yet supported by a complete baseline, so decisions about green infrastructure, planting, drainage, overheating, shade, food growing and underused land need a stronger evidence base.

Through the life of the plan, sustainability activity will be linked more closely to neighbourhood planning, estate investment, development, community engagement and social value. This will help One Manchester use its assets and partnerships to increase biodiversity, improve local environmental quality, support residents’ wellbeing and contribute to Manchester’s wider climate and place ambitions.

1. Complete a biodiversity and green-space baseline by 2028 and use it to inform estate-level improvement plans.
2. Identify opportunities for biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage, shade, low- maintenance planting and climate adaptation across estates and communal spaces.
3. Make better use of underused land where this can improve neighbourhood quality, biodiversity, food growing, community activity or wellbeing.
4. Ensure new build developments achieve at least 10% biodiversity net gain and that learning is applied to future projects.
5. Work with residents and partners to support community-led environmental projects and local stewardship.
6. Include place, nature and community value outcomes in sustainability reporting and governance assurance.

6. MEASURING SUCCESS

Success will be measured by stronger sustainability data, better-performing and more resilient homes, improved resident outcomes and a credible, affordable route to zero carbon and net zero. Progress will be tracked through annual reporting, governance assurance and future strategy refreshes.

• Energy performance: all One Manchester retained homes are EPC C or above, or exempt, by 2030, supported by validated EPC data.
• Retrofit route map: a verified baseline and route map are in place by 2027, with decisions for remaining below-C homes by 2028 and funding routes actively pursued.
• External funding: external funding secured for sustainability, retrofit, heat network and net zero delivery is monitored and reported annually.
• Carbon reduction: investment planning supports Manchester’s 2038 zero carbon ambition and national net zero by 2050.
• Resident outcomes: delivery reduces excess cold, damp and mould risk, poor ventilation, high energy demand and repeat repairs.
• Climate resilience: climate risks are assessed across stock and operational assets and embedded in future investment decisions.
• Resource efficiency: waste, recycling, procurement and material choices are monitored and improved.
• Water efficiency: water standards are developed, with annual monitoring of consumption and funding opportunities explored where available.
• Biodiversity: a biodiversity baseline is completed by 2028, with estate plans and 10% biodiversity net gain in new build.

7. RISK

Risks will be managed through regular review, clear ownership and governance oversight, recognising that delivery may be affected by changes in data, funding, regulation, technology, customer needs and asset condition.

• Tightening regulation: MEES, Awaab’s Law, Decent Homes reform, HHSRS, heat network regulation and wider building safety duties will raise expectations on compliance, data and resident outcomes. One Manchester will prioritise customer safety and legal compliance above all sustainability, investment and net zero objectives, supported by horizon scanning, annual review and a mid-point strategy refresh.
• Data quality: weak or incomplete data could undermine decisions and assurance. This will be managed through data ownership, EPC refresh, stock condition updates and baseline improvement.
• Funding constraints: limited funding could slow delivery. This will be managed through prioritisation, early bid planning, external funding bids, grant opportunities and viability-based decisions.
• Customer engagement and access: poor engagement could reduce uptake or delay works. This will be managed through clear communication, resident involvement and effective aftercare.
• Supply chain capacity: limited skills or capacity could increase cost and delay delivery. This will be managed through early market engagement, procurement standards and supplier performance management.
• Technology performance: poorly performing solutions could affect cost, comfort and confidence. This will be managed through fabric-first design, pilots, commissioning checks and post-occupancy review.
• Heat networks: performance and regulation could create affordability or compliance risks. This will be managed through Ofgem registration, HNTAS work, metering improvements and network-specific decisions.