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Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.
If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.
Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.
If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.
In this time of climate crisis, the construction industry plays a pivotal role in shaping a greener future. This webinar shed light on the financial incentives already in place, and what more can be done, to encourage the construction and purchase of more environmentally friendly homes, providing valuable insights for funders, developers, landowners, operators, residents and policymakers alike. We explored the intersection of sustainable construction practices and financial benefits, showcasing how the housing industry can contribute to a more environmentally conscious and economically sound future.
Well also launched a new paper as part of our Build Net Zero NOW Campaign, titled “The Green Shift – The existing financial incentives for higher environmental performance of new homes”, authored by Rafe Bertram. The document is an exploration to see if a ‘tipping point’ has been reached, one where existing financial incentives provide high levels of environmental sustainability in a way that are financially advantageous for all stakeholders, and if this route is now the most financially viable option.
As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign Finance working group we have launched a report – “The Green Shift – The existing financial incentives for higher environmental performance of new homes”, authored by Rafe Bertram.
The document is an exploration to see if a ‘tipping point’ has been reached, one where existing financial incentives provide high levels of environmental sustainability in a way that are financially advantageous for all stakeholders, and if this route is now the most financially viable option.
As part of phase 3 of our Build Net Zero Now campaign, we will be looking into opportunities for a yearly revision of this document. If you have any feedback, comments, or additions, please let us know via:
With thanks to our Finance working group participants for supporting this work:
Neil Murphy, TOWN (WG chair); Rafe Bertram, Enfield Council; Chris Brigstocke, Winckworth Sherwood; Nicholas Fishlock, Brighton & Hove Council; Mark Ogden, Triodos; Emyr Poole, Homes England; Ian Rigarlsford, Ecology Building Society; David Smith, South East Consortium; Annabel Harsmworth, M&G; James Sheldon, Bioregional; Michael Fowell, NW Leicestershire District Council; Debbie McLatch, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council; Gilbert Lennox-King, Construction Carbon; Julian Brooks, Richard Broad, Larry Tate, Good Homes Alliance.
The Good Homes Alliance Build Net Zero Now campaign aims to empower progressive Local Authorities, Housing Associations and housebuilders, and their supply chains, by providing them with the knowledge and tools to deliver net zero housing.
Following a year-long series of topical events and targeted outputs, including new and freely available net zero case studies and design briefs, phase one of the campaign concluded at the GHA Build Net Zero Now Conference in October 2021.
A series of working groups and targeted outputs concluded phase two of the campaign in Autumn 2023, with phase three of the campaign continuing into 2024.
The campaign outputs have proved vital for the 30+ members of our fast-growing LA Vanguard and HA Pathfinder networks from across the UK, who collectively represent 350,000 existing homes and 120,000 new build homes to be developed in the next 10 years.
Lead campaign sponsors:
Theme sponsor:
As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign Energy working group we are pleased to launch a new introductory guide on domestic energy solutions. We would like to thank lead author Andrew Jeffryes, and Chris Brierley from Active Building Centre/Energy Systems Catapult for supporting this work.
The ‘primer’ covers energy generation, transformation and distribution, and is the first part in a series of guides on energy solutions, with further guides planned on energy storage and ‘smart grids’. The guide builds upon our 3-part ‘Energy Solutions for Net Zero Housing Development’ series co-hosted with The Green Register this June-July 2023, which featured speakers from Herschel, Allume Energy, Joju Solar, SNRG and CEPRO.
As part of phase 3 of our BNZN campaign we will build upon the expert content presented in our guide and event series, and will continue to showcase, and interrogate the viability and performance of, emerging energy solutions through in-person site visits, demonstrations, dissemination of research findings, and case studies. If you are interested in supporting the campaign, please get in touch.
This guide is part one of a series, with a part 2 on energy storage available later in the Autumn and a further guide planned on smart grids.
With thanks to our Energy working group participants for supporting this work:
Active Building Centre, Basingstoke Council, BCP Council, Bioregional, CEPRO, Greencore Construction, Oxford City Council, PureHaus, Sero, SNRG, South West Net Zero Hub, Southampton Council, Traxis, Vertigo (Mike Roberts, WG chair) and Verto Homes.
DOWNLOAD THE DOMESTIC ENERGY SOLUTIONS PRIMER
The Good Homes Alliance Build Net Zero Now campaign aims to empower progressive Local Authorities, Housing Associations and housebuilders, and their supply chains, by providing them with the knowledge and tools to deliver net zero housing.
Following a year-long series of topical events and targeted outputs, including new and freely available net zero case studies and design briefs, phase one of the campaign concluded at the GHA Build Net Zero Now Conference in October 2021.
A series of working groups and targeted outputs concludes phase two of the campaign in Autumn 2023, with phase three of the campaign continuing into 2024.
The campaign outputs have proved vital for the 30+ members of our fast-growing LA Vanguard and HA Pathfinder networks from across the UK, who collectively represent 350,000 existing homes and 120,000 new build homes to be developed in the next 10 years.
Lead campaign sponsors:
Theme sponsor:
As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign Finance working group we have launched a new ‘manifesto’, setting out the key steps we believe are required to accelerate the delivery of net zero homes.
The manifesto is aimed at government departments, financial institutions and policy makers, and calls for more incentives from financiers for developers to build to higher standards, wider availability of green mortgages, increased government funding of community led housing schemes, stamp duty land tax reform, and a major update to EPCs to focus on in-use performance.
As part of phase 3 of our BNZN campaign, we will be engaging with policy makers and financiers to advance the manifesto asks. Please contact us if you are interested in getting involved.
With thanks to our Finance working group participants for supporting this work:
Neil Murphy, TOWN (WG chair); Rafe Bertram, Enfield Council; Chris Brigstocke, Winckworth Sherwood; Nicholas Fishlock, Brighton & Hove Council; Mark Ogden, Triodos; Emyr Poole, Homes England; Ian Rigarlsford, Ecology Building Society; David Smith, South East Consortium; Annabel Harsmworth, M&G; James Sheldon, Bioregional; Michael Fowell, NW Leicestershire District Council; Debbie McLatch, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council; Gilbert Lennox-King, Construction Carbon; Julian Brooks, Richard Broad, Larry Tate, Good Homes Alliance.
The Good Homes Alliance Build Net Zero Now campaign aims to empower progressive Local Authorities, Housing Associations and housebuilders, and their supply chains, by providing them with the knowledge and tools to deliver net zero housing.
Following a year-long series of topical events and targeted outputs, including new and freely available net zero case studies and design briefs, phase one of the campaign concluded at the GHA Build Net Zero Now Conference in October 2021.
A series of working groups and targeted outputs concluded phase two of the campaign in Autumn 2023, with phase three of the campaign continuing into 2024.
The campaign outputs have proved vital for the 30+ members of our fast-growing LA Vanguard and HA Pathfinder networks from across the UK, who collectively represent 350,000 existing homes and 120,000 new build homes to be developed in the next 10 years.
Lead campaign sponsors:
Theme sponsor:
Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.
If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.
Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.
If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.
Good Homes Alliance (GHA) and Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) hosted a joint online event showcasing the progressive work of Local Authorities in developing, and successfully adopting, net zero planning policies.
We heard more about recent good news coming out of Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and Cornwall Council, whose local plan updates have both been found sound and legally compliant by the Planning Inspectorate. Both policies set absolute energy targets for housing (energy use intensity) and seek to maximise renewable energy generation on-site. The policies use a different framework from the Building Regulations and cover both regulated and unregulated energy.
These announcements reaffirm the fact that forward-thinking councils can set their own ambitious targets that go above and beyond minimum national standards. The work at B&NES, Cornwall, Cambridgeshire and others will help set a precedent for other Local Authorities to follow in their footsteps and meet their climate emergency commitments.
We were also delighted to be joined by experts from the consultancies who have been supporting progressive councils in developing evidence bases to support their new policies, and providing guidance on how to implement the policies in practice.
Welcome from GHA – Lynne Sullivan OBE, Chair, Good Homes Alliance
Welcome from TCPA – Celia Davis, Projects and Policy Manager, Town and Country Planning Association
What is the landscape for LAs in regard to setting progressive planning policies? – Marina Goodyear, Project Manager/Lewis Knight, Head of Sustainable Places, Bioregional
Planning policies successfully adopted! Lessons learned from B&NES and Cornwall, and implementation challenges
– Alex McCann, former Climate Policy Officer at Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES); now part of the Bioregional Sustainable Places team
– Emily Rubin, Principal Development Officer, Cornwall Council
Emerging planning policy: Net zero, circular economy, design codes and more – Greater Cambridge – Emma Davies, Principal Sustainability Officer, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning
Next steps for local authorities: How can the recent good news set a precedent for other progressive LAs? And what are the challenges? – Thomas Lefevre, Director, Etude
Q&A/panel discussion: How will updates to national policy and standards impact progressive local authorities?
Marina Goodyear and Lewis Knight, Bioregional
Alex McCann, Bioregional (formerly B&NES Council)
Emma Davies, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning
The Good Homes Alliance Vanguard Network of Local Authorties is a leading edge group whoch resources and conduct further research to facilitate LAs with new housing delivery arms in adopting enhanced sustainability, quality, health and performance standards for new housing developments.
Click here to find out how to join
Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.
If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.
Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.
If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.