Green Dragon finds a home at Oaklee (Monday 31st May, 2011)

Oaklee Homes Group have been awarded ARENA Network's Green Dragon Level 2 Environmental Standard.
The first housing association in Northern Ireland to receive this standard, Oaklee is a voluntary non-profit organisation, providing and managing quality social housing, care and support services to meet a wide range of needs within its 4,500 accommodation units.

Oaklee gained its accreditation for managing its environmental impacts within its head office, including waste and energy management. Oaklee have a Five Year Energy and Sustainable Development Strategy in place which sets specific targets around energy and environmental issues. Among some of the initiatives over the last year, Oaklee have held an Energy Week, introduced electrical timers and sensors, and improved upon existing recycling facilities at their Head Office.

Eamonn Keaveney, Director, ARENA Network explains what achieving this standard means, saying: "The Green Dragon standard provides organisations with the elements of an effective environmental management system that are appropriate to the nature and scale of their activities and operations.

"Within the Green Dragon Standard there are five levels, with each step contributing towards achievement of the International and European environmental standards ISO 14001 and EMAS.

"During the appraisal and audit processes for the Green Dragon Standard, there is an evaluation of costs as well as environmental performance - this means that at each stage the company or organisation will have an outline environmental management system that relates to its bottom line.

"ARENA Network is delighted that Oaklee has achieved this level in the standard and hopes the organisation will continue on its environmental journey.

Brian Rankin, Energy Officer, Oaklee Homes Group adds: "It has been quite an undertaking to establish best practice and develop our environmental policy. Working towards the Green Dragon accreditation has helped provide focus for us as well as helping to comply more easily with legislation."