CSR AT SDH

SDH has been committed to CSR since 2005 and has published CSR reports since 2008. Its current corporate plan, «United to 2016», is built upon CSR principles and the 5 dimensions of the EURHO-GR® framework. It includes precise CSR objectives which are translated into concrete actions, regularly monitored by managers.

In order to support continuous improvement, SDH’s CSR maturity is assessed every year since 2011 by an external auditor, through an evaluation scheme based on the ISO 26000 standard; in December 2013, SDH scored 649 out of 1,000.

OBJECTIVE

To improve buildings’ energy performance as well as tenants’ quality of life in the frame of a large-scale urban renewal project.

CONTEXT

Échirolles is the second biggest town in the Isère department after the city of Grenoble. With a housing stock of 3,000 flats located there, SDH is the first social housing company in this town. SDH has built a strong partnership with the town council to improve the level and quality of service delivered to residents. In 2008, this collaboration led to a large-scale renewal program in “Village 2”, one of the 3 big social housing neighbourhoods in Echirolles. Densely built (853 flats, 2,500 inhabitants), “Village 2” is listed among the French “Under-privileged Urban Areas“, which require particular attention and investment. The project aims at reducing the density in the district, to create links between “Village 2” and its surroundings and to improve its residents’ quality of life. One feature of the project is to offer various kinds of housing in order to increase social diversity. Social rental housing, social homeownership and “free market homeownership” are thus now available. Building new housing in a district mechanically leads to the depreciation of the older buildings, in particular from an energy performance perspective. To avoid a “two-tier” housing stock within a same neighbourhood – with brand new, energy efficient dwellings contrasting with an older, energy-consuming stock – SDH engaged in ambitious thermal refurbishment works on 642 dwellings in order to reach a “BBC (“Low-energy building”) renovation level”, i.e. 96 kWh/m²/year. This program fits into SDH’s wider environmental commitment, outlined in its Environmental Charter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GOOD PRACTICE

SDH led a thermal renovation for all of its 642 existing flats in the district. This project fits into SDH Environmental Charter’s commitment to build sustainable social housing. This thermal renewal program aimed at addressing altogether economic, social and environmental challenges, through various measures:

Flats were linked to the collective urban heating network, which offers more comfort to tenants, with greater cost equity and control.

Other works were carried out to increase the energy efficiency of buildings (new windows and screen doors, double glazing, mechanical ventilation, roof waterproofing).

These measures have enabled to reach a higher performance than initially planned. In addition to this renovation program, SDH also built in “Village 2” its first two new low-energy buildings, including 65 social rental dwellings.

Close cooperation with tenants, their representatives and the municipality was key in ensuring the project’s acceptability, and its smooth and successful implementation. An agreement was signed with the local tenant association, and regular meetings were held with residents all throughout the project. SDH also coordinated, with the municipality of Echirolles, the relocation process for households living in buildings that had to be demolished, who were provided with better suited dwellings. This was done by a dedicated “relocation officer”, working hand in hand with SDH’s local office and urban renewal department.

In parallel, both SDH and Echirolles city conducted awarenessraising sessions for tenants, in order to help them efficiently use their new equipment to control their flat’s energy performance, for greater and sustainable outcomes.

Key results and benefits

• 47 million euros invested
• 642 flats renovated, 211 flats demolished, 94 flats built
• 174 households relocated
• 64% decrease in energy consumption for higher housing blocks (392 flats): from 221 kWh/m2 /year to 79 kWh/m2 /year
• 65% decrease in energy consumption for other buildings (250 flats): from 215 kWh/m2/year to 75 kWh/m2 /year
• 88.1% of residents satisfied with the renovation
• 84.6% satisfied with the district heating system
• 87% of tenants consider that works have improved their comfort
• Lower satisfaction rates (76.9% and 73.4%) concerning the building site management and its cleanliness. SDH builds on this information to improve future works.

Other benefits:

• Energy bills’ decrease for tenants, without rent increase
• Increased awareness on environmental-friendly practices, promoting sustainable behavioural change
• Improvement of dwellings’ attractiveness
• Access to employment: 110 specific work placements (for people furthest from employment) and 70,600 work-hours dedicated to “professional inclusion”