Yorkshire Housing utilises Aico’s eco-fit range
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Yorkshire Housing is utilising Aico’s eco-fit range as part of their Smoke Alarm replacement programme in a drive to improve the sustainability of their organisation, reducing waste and minimising their environmental impact.
Yorkshire Housing, previously known as the Yorkshire Housing Group, was established in 1999. The Housing Association own and manage near to 20,000 homes in Yorkshire, across 20 Local Authorities; their mission is for everyone to have the opportunity to live in a quality home that they can afford.
With Yorkshire Housing replacing approximately 18,000 alarm heads over a 10-year period, the organisation was conscious of the impact their end-of-life alarm replacement programme would have on the environment. Previous installs within their housing stock feature Aico’s easi-fit bases, meaning a new alarm head simply slides onto the existing base. This results in plastic bases, dust covers and screw fittings from the replacement alarms entering the waste stream.
In 2021, Aico released their eco-fit range, exclusive to their flagship 3000 Series, which offers both Fire and Carbon Monoxide detection from one range. Available in packs of 10, eco-fit is designed for upgrading or retrofitting, where easi-fit bases are already installed. To eliminate excess materials, eco-fit does not include bases, screw packs or dust covers, resulting in 100% less plastic than individually packaged alarms. Cardboard and paper used in packaging has also been minimised by up to 58% and is made from eco-friendly fully recyclable materials.
Yorkshire Housing are prioritising the sustainability of their services and are keen to lessen their environmental impact. The Association currently install Aico’s 3000 Series within their housing stock to comply with the D1 Specification recommended in BS 5839-6:2019+A1:2020; this means the eco-fit range is a suitable solution to contribute to their drive of becoming more sustainable.
Paul Simpson, Electrical Compliance Manager of Yorkshire Housing comments “It’s great to know that Aico have listened and have moved towards the eco-fit range. At Yorkshire Housing we replace about 18,000 heads over ten years, so before the eco-fit range came out it would have meant 18,000 bases needlessly going into landfill. If you consider it could take up to 500 years before they degrade then the eco-fit range will have a real positive impact on the environment. We just need to get the message out there now to all other users.”
Aico’s Regional Specification Manager for the North, Tony Teal, has worked closely with Yorkshire Housing during the specification process of the eco-fit range. Tony adds “It’s great to see Yorkshire Housing taking their impact on the environment seriously and reducing their waste where possible. They are a forward-thinking organisation who help push our product offering forward. Paul has been a big support of this new range of head-only packs and provided some vital feedback during our feasibility study into this new range. Let’s hope other housing providers see what Yorkshire Housing are doing and also start to utilise the environmentally friendly product range when replacing alarms at the end of their life.”
With the eco-fit range offering both minimal packaging and maximum protection, Yorkshire Housing will continue to utilise Aico’s eco-fit range throughout their housing stock, to maintain compliance and ensure safe homes for their residents while reducing their environmental impact.
To learn more about the eco-fit range, please visit: https://www.aico.co.uk/product/eco-fit-range/
www.aico.co.uk | 01691 664100 | enquiries@aico.co.uk
