The programme includes a range of internal initiatives, together with activities aimed at raising consumer and industry action on green issues.
Publications and an awareness campaign are planned for the coming months, including a consumer booklet advising property owners on the best ways of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.
The lender is also in talks with a number of environmental organisations and charities regarding the launch of joint initiatives and is set to make an announcement on this shortly.
UCB Home Loans managing director Keith Astill said: “We are already very active on the environmental front, particularly in terms of internal initiatives on recycling, energy usage and CO2 emissions, but the launch of the green programme will see us expanding this to include more external activity.
“As one of the UK’s main lenders in the self-certification and buy-to-let sectors of the market, we have an obligation to help people who are buying their own homes to find ways of reducing their own carbon emissions – and fuel bills – in the most practical ways.”
Astill continued: “Both lenders and homeowners have increasing obligations to take action on initiatives that will reduce their carbon footprint. Energy Performance Certificates will be one of the central documents in the forthcoming Home Information Packs (HIPs), which become compulsory for all homes going on the market from 1 June onwards, and the government has also said that it intends to make all new homes carbon neutral by 2016.
“Our immediate activity is focused on forging links with the UK’s prime movers on action to combat global warming, stepping up our own internal action programme on environmental issues, and instituting an awareness programme among consumers and intermediaries within the mortgage industry. We will also be looking at the possibility of product initiatives later in the year to support our programme.”
This month, the lender is pulling together its internal initiatives on green issues into a branded programme of activity. Activities already underway include:
- Currently the first organisation in the UK to be taking part in the implementation of an environmental lighting initiative with Philips, involving their ActiViva range
- Car share scheme which gives sharing drivers preference in allocation of parking bays
- Institution of a tender and contract process that now requires suppliers to prove and declare their policies on environmental issues
- Active involvement in charity recycling schemes for used equipment and furniture
- Disposal of lighting tubes in 'coffins' which are collected for environmental disposal
- Recycling of all cardboard and paper waste
- Recycling of vending cups into pencils, notepad holders, etc
- Institution of the 100-day Carbon Clean-Up Programme, run by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers. Use of sleep settings on equipment has reduced energy bills by £12,000 a year and reduced carbon emissions by 75 tonnes. Adjustments to timings and temperature settings on air conditioning, heating and cooling have contributed to reductions in energy usage of more than 2,000 kWh per week.
