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Report

Space standards for homes

To address this, a number of cities across the UK, including London, have adopted their own minimum space standards. The UK Government does not collect reliable data on the size of new homes. However, in 2011, RIBA research showed that the family homes being sold by the UK’s eight largest private housebuilders was on average 8m² – the size of a single bedroom – smaller than the minimum standards drawn up for London.

The report helped to push the Government to take action and, in October 2015, a new nationally described space standard came into force, setting out detailed guidance on the minimum size of new homes. Under the new standard, a new one bed, one person flat would have to be a minimum of 37m² while a three bed, five person home would be a minimum of 93m².

Unfortunately the new national standard is unlikely to have an impact in the short term. To adopt minimum standards in their area, local authorities will have to navigate an unnecessarily complex, costly, time-consuming and confusing process.

Author: RIBA

Publication date: December 2019

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Report

Rental Housing for an Ageing Population (HAPPI 5)

Because the great majority of those over pension age are owner-occupiers (including leaseholders), previous reports have concentrated on the people in this tenure. Homeowners have the advantage of some equity in their property – a lot in some areas, not much in other places – and this can be used to pay for a “rightsizing” move or for making their current home more comfortable. But what about those older people who are tenants, renting in either the social or private rented sector (PRS)?

Author: Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation

Publication date: July 2019

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Report

Distinctively Local

This report focuses on new suburban and rural housing, including urban extensions, suburban infill and completely new settlements. It aims to inform and inspire those who may be planning, designing, delivering or hoping to inhabit new developments, including the latest generation of garden towns and villages. It includes guidance and case studies showing how to create genuinely distinctive and popular places. In doing so we hope it will help foster a positive perception of new development that can in turn help smooth the path for boosting housing supply.

This report is the product of collaboration between four architectural practices, specialising in the design and delivery of residential and mixed-use neighbourhoods:

Author: HTA Design, Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE), PRP, Proctor & Matthews Architects.

Publication date: May 2019

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Further information: http://distinctively-local.co.uk/

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Guidance Report

Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A Framework Definition

The report includes a framework for the UK construction and property industry to transition new and existing buildings to becoming net zero carbon by 2050, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement. It provides an overarching framework of consistent principles and metrics that can be integrated into tools, policies and practices, and aims to build consensus in the industry on the approach to decarbonising buildings.

The new framework offers guidance for developers, owners and occupiers targeting net zero carbon buildings, setting out key principles to follow and outlining how such a claim should be measured and evidenced. Two approaches to net zero carbon are proposed by the framework which can be accurately measured today:

  • Net zero carbon – construction: The embodied emissions associated with products and construction should be measured, reduced and offset to achieve net zero carbon.
  • Net zero carbon – operational energy: The energy used by the building in operation should be reduced and where possible any demand met through renewable energy. Any remaining emissions from operational energy use should be offset to achieve net zero carbon.

With today’s report presented as a starting point, the next ten years will see the scope and ambition of the framework increased to encourage greater action. In the short-term, additional requirements will be introduced to challenge the industry, including minimum energy efficiency targets and limits on the use of offsets. In the longer term, the two approaches for construction and operational energy will be integrated into a broader approach for net zero whole life carbon, covering all of the emissions associated with the construction, operation, maintenance and demolition of a building.

Ashley Bateson, Partner at GHA member Hoare Lea said:

“We are proud to be a sponsor of the Advancing Net Zero programme. At Hoare Lea we feel it’s crucial that the property sector has an agreed framework for defining net zero carbon development. This gives industry a clear basis for reducing carbon emissions from the built environment towards zero in the near future. The environmental imperative for targeting ‘net zero’ is now loud and clear.”

Author: UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)

Publication date: April 2019

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Further information: www.ukgbc.org/ukgbc-work/advancing-net-zero/.

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Report

Place Value and the Ladder of Place Quality

The types of places we inhabit have a profound impact on health, society, the economy and the environment. This report distils 271 empirical research studies to uncover the truth about the qualities of the built environment that are good for us and deliver place value.

The Ladder of Place Quality is a simple tool for decision-makers to use when considering: are we making a great place?

Author: Place Alliance

Publication date: March 2019

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Report

The costs and benefits of tighter standards for new buildings

This study considers the potential opportunities for tightening building standards for new buildings to support the UK in meeting its legal obligations under the Climate Change Act. The study considers a range of tighter standards for selected housing and non-domestic buildings in tandem with a range for technologies for space heating and hot water; namely gas boilers, air source heat pumps (ASHP) and low-carbon heat networks (LCHN).

Author: Currie & Brown, AECOM

Publication date: February 2019

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Report

GHA 2019 Policy Workshop

GHA held a policy workshop entitled ‘Tomorrow’s Housing: Are Current Regulations Fit for Purpose?’ on Thursday 24th January 2019 at Winckworth Sherwood, London. The event included three roundtable workshop discussions facilitated by the GHA and a number of expert speakers.

The purpose of the discussions was to:

  • Highlight the shortcomings of the current Building Regulations on; energy, ventilation, overheating, indoor air quality, comfort, and in-use performance.
  • Suggest improvements and changes to regulations/policies in anticipation of forthcoming Government reviews in 2019.
  • Produce a concise set of notes on the three themes that will inform an industry wide position paper that can be adopted by the GHA membership and presented to industry and Government

Author: Good Homes Alliance

Publication date: January 2019

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Report Research findings

Refreshing the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth

URBED were asked to advise on how greater cohesion or social inclusion could be achieved in future developments, by considering the current principles in the light of published research and international best practice, and this took the form of a separate report on Creating Cohesive Communities.

They also were asked to make recommendations on assessing performance, and have considered the options for evaluating the quality of what has been built. This report summarises the conclusions and the evidence is set out in five appendices.

Author: URBED

Publication date: January 2019

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Report

Cost of carbon reduction in new buildings

The UK has a legal commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. This report considers different options for achieving carbon savings in new housing and non-domestic buildings and assesses their costs and other factors relevant to the development of local planning policies. The development of specific policy options will reflect local priorities, viability and other considerations but the information on costs and other relevant policy considerations is intended to help inform these decisions in developing effective policies that deliver carbon savings whilst protecting housing supply and household costs.

A range of dwelling and non-domestic buildings were considered, and detailed energy and cost modelling undertaken for five house types investigating a wide range of energy efficiency, low carbon heating and renewable power generation strategies. The costs of a variety of policy options were considered involving minimum levels of energy efficiency, onsite carbon savings and then the achievement of net zero carbon standards considering regulated energy or both regulated and unregulated energy. Allowable solutions/carbon offset payments could be used at a cost of £95 per tonne to meet the net zero carbon target once onsite carbon reduction targets had been achieved.

Analysis suggests that it is possible to achieve net zero regulated carbon emissions from a combination of energy efficiency on site carbon reductions and allowable solutions for an additional capital cost of between 5-7% for homes and non-domestic buildings. Achieving net zero regulated and unregulated emission is likely to result in a cost impact of 7-11% for homes.

Author: Currie & Brown

Publication date: December 2018

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Report

Innovation in council housebuilding

Council housebuilding must be at the centre of a renewed effort to deliver homes that generate growth and that communities need now and into the future. This new report shares examples of councils that are doing just that. The case studies of council housebuilding show how councils are opening up opportunities to build good quality homes that are designed to be accessible, affordable and energy efficient.

There is a wealth of information in this report about the context for council housebuilding, the broader picture of housing delivery led by councils and an analysis of the process councils have gone through to set up active building programmes. It is drawn from the direct experience of councils and their insights into setting up new building schemes. It is a complete and detailed study of delivering innovation in council housebuilding, presented here in sections so that councils can draw easily on the parts that are most relevant to them.

Case studies of innovative housebuilding projects are a core part of the report. Chapter eight provides ten case studies of council housebuilding programmes around the country. The report is both a complete study and individual sections of useful information and resources.

Author: Housing Quality Network

Publication date: August 2018

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