Ellis Blaikie, Executive Officer, Advocacy and Impact – Bridge Housing
By Ellis Blaikie, Executive Officer, Advocacy and Impact – Bridge Housing
Last week, in response to scrutiny over her frequent use of private jets, Taylor Swift made a notable statement by buying double the necessary carbon credits to offset emissions from her record-breaking tour, as it kicks off in Australia.
The move reignited discussions about corporate social responsibility and climate action, echoing the newfound expectation our society has placed on global celebrities and large brands to make reasonable efforts to reduce their emissions.
As I contemplated this, I couldn’t help but reflect on our social housing sector and the positive steps we are taking towards carbon neutrality with new builds. But the energy efficiency of our country’s existing social housing stock is a far tougher problem to solve.
In fact, the energy performance of our existing homes currently accounts for a quarter of electricity consumption and more than 10 per cent of carbon emissions nationwide. It is relatively straightforward to construct efficient, sustainable homes from scratch, but retrofitting existing homes presents a far greater challenge.
As we transition to net zero, many companies (or celebrities in this case) are purchasing carbon credits to offset their emissions. Simultaneously, more companies are seeking offsets and investments that deliver social returns in line with their ESG and corporate social responsibility commitments.
But what if we channelled this corporate investment into retrofitting social housing, creating a new carbon offset category that not only mitigates environmental impact but also directly uplifts the most disadvantaged in our society? It’s an idea I was recently privileged to present at the Sydney Summit and one that presents a multifaceted solution – to not only reduce carbon emissions but also enhance the health and well-being of social housing residents.
Imagine this: You are a parent, juggling the responsibilities of caring for two young children while supporting a partner with a disability. Your home, a cramped, uninsulated unit, becomes a stifling oven in the summer heat. With just $300 after rent, every decision counts – do you cool the sweltering air with a fan or put food on the table for your family?
It’s a stark reality faced by many, trapped in outdated homes that expose them to the harsh realities of climate change. The cost of energy means even the lucky few with air conditioning generally won’t turn it on. Not to mention extreme weather, particularly heat, poses health risks with increased hospitalisations due to the stress placed on vital organs. Heat drives irritability and aggression, leading to higher rates of depression, suicide, and domestic violence.
By improving energy efficiency, we can alleviate the financial burdens on already-stretched family budgets, enhance comfort, and foster a sense of dignity. The ripple effects extend beyond individual households, permeating through communities, building resilience in the face of climate adversity.
Our residents don’t have the financial means to invest in home improvements, and as charities, we don’t generate the income to pay for upgrades. Neither community housing providers, nor our residents can access the schemes available to help homeowners improve their homes.
Carbon credits aren’t perfect, and there’s been greater scrutiny as regulators and companies aim to avoid greenwashing and find local projects that deliver meaningful and lasting environmental impacts. Despite the challenges, offsets generate hundreds of millions of dollars in investment each year.
Seeing this same approach applied to social housing would provide a much-needed funding stream for community housing providers to pay for these energy retrofits. While we want to make these changes, our biggest hurdle is funding, and we recognise that we won’t achieve the scale of change through grant programs alone.
As we continue to navigate the transition to a net-zero future, it is critical that we prioritise initiatives that deliver both environmental and social returns on investment. Retrofitting social housing stands as a shining example of how we can leverage corporate responsibility and climate action to create positive change for our planet and our communities alike.
Celebrity PR stunts and corporate greenwashing aside, embracing carbon offsets to retrofit the country’s existing social housing poses a serious opportunity – one that has the
BIOGRAPHY
Ellis Blaikie, Executive Officer, Advocacy and Impact – Bridge Housing
Ellis leads Bridge Housing’s Impact and Advocacy work, delivering and evaluating strategic initiatives that change lives for the better. She has worked in social policy and advocacy roles across the community sector for eight years, with expertise in housing, homelessness, and impact assessment. She leads the ongoing implementation and refinement of Bridge Housing’s social impact framework and ESG strategy.
Ellis is skilled in facilitating co-design processes, developing community-led solutions to address local priorities, and driving continuous improvement. She is a strategic thinker, committed to evidence-based policy and program development and holds an honours degree from The University of Sydney.
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