Make Do and Mend by Ministry of Information

Tenement buildings, for instance, can be challenging to insulate and draught proof without specialist help and advice, however, there are steps that anyone can take at the outset. Reuseĭecarbonising heating is a huge challenge we will all face soon, rightfully the fabric first approach turns our attention to how we can improve the energy efficiency of our homes. Getting to know your neighbours or even setting up an owners association will be a great benefit when it comes to organising shared repairs and making voting arrangements. We all know it can be difficult to get owners together to discuss their buildings and make decisions. Owners should get started to get to know their building, know what to look out for and where to get help ahead of time. Getting ahead of repairs and prioritising importance will prove invaluable in tenement buildings.

However, taking stock of your building and starting to work on management and maintenance issues that may have fallen by the wayside, could save you considerable time and money in the future. Managing and maintaining a tenement building can be a daunting task and often fall to the bottom of a to-do list.

So how do we translate that into tenement buildings and how can a sustainable approach to tenement living be realised? Recently, Scottish Housing Day put forward a report on what the focus should be for Government, and what owners of tenement flats can do themselves to play their part in furthering housing sustainability. It’s an outdated concept in the modern day, but it’s a useful reminder today of what individuals can do as part of a wider effort by the housing sector to ensure the Scottish Government’s focus is firmly on sustainability during this cost of living crisis and beyond. The concept of ‘make do and mend’ was coined during WWII by the British Ministry of Information, designed to help housewives repair, reuse and reimagine clothes during rationing.

Make Do and Mend by Ministry of Information