Sixteen organisations that have joined the Sustainable Homes Index For Tomorrow (SHIFT) scheme were awarded their first rankings at a special reception in London.

The scheme is run by Sustainable Homes, in partnership with the Tenant Services Authority, WWF, Bank of Scotland Corporate and the UK Green Building Council.

It evaluates housing associations’ environmental sustainability and helps them to make improvements in areas where it will have the most impact.

Their first assessment of the performance of current SHIFT members found that four organisations – Bromford Group, Gentoo Group, Peabody, and Wakefield and District Housing – have achieved the silver band, while the remaining twelve organisations were in the bronze band.

The organisations celebrated their first rankings and participation in the scheme at a drinks reception at London City Hall hosted by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

“I applaud the sixteen organisations who have made such a commitment to improving the environmental sustainability of their operations and I am very keen to see other public sector landlords in London following this commendable lead,” he said.

Colin Butfield, head of campaigns at WWF-UK, said: “It is great to see both the SHIFT members and the Mayor of London taking the sustainability of our existing homes seriously.

“It’s the elephant in the room no longer, and that is vital if we are to make the necessary deep and lasting carbon cuts to meet our challenging climate change targets as enshrined in law last year.”

Following the assessment, the SHIFT members will now spend the next year learning how to further reduce their environmental impact, before the second public ranking takes place in 2010-11.

New members can now join the scheme and their 2009-10 ranking will not be made public. More information can be found here.

Kate Martin

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