GHA Knowledge Base
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It encourages you to ask important questions about projects that use data, and reflect on the responses. These might be:
The Data Ethics Canvas provides a framework to develop ethical guidance that suits any context, whatever the project’s size or scope.
The Data Ethics Canvas framework was featured by William Box, Founder, Carnego Systems at a BPN/GHA webinar on 11th July 2023 – ‘People and their data – ethics and engagement of building performance evaluation‘.
The findings of a report that explored the potential of establishing a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub for Wales have been published.
This report is the conclusion of a three-month scoping study which brought together the Good Homes Alliance (GHA), Woodknowledge Wales and the Building Performance Network (BPN) to prepare a proposal for what the Hub’s core purpose could be, how it could add value to the housing sector in Wales, and how it could further the Welsh Government’s objectives.
The report includes a foreword from Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change for the Welsh Government:
“This Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub scoping study shows that there is strong support from the housing sector for a government endorsed body where industry, academia and NGOs can collaborate to share research, debate the issues and help shape future policy. The Hub could therefore become a resource for all similar initiatives to ensure a cohesive and coherent direction.
The Hub will also play its part in enabling a zero-carbon economic recovery that is purposefully aligned with the supply chain in Wales. Importantly for Wales, the Hub will enable the social housing sector to go zero early, bringing the benefits of low energy bills and healthy home environments to those that need them most. In short, the Hub will help facilitate and accelerate zero carbon high performance solutions that can be rolled-out at scale across all the housing sectors in Wales. We were delighted to be able to fund this scoping study and will give consideration to how we can support its implementation.”
Authors: Good Homes Alliance, Woodknowledge Wales and Building Performance Network.
Report prepared for ClwydAlyn with funding from the Welsh Government Collaborative Research and Innovation Support Programme (CRISP).
Study completed in March 2021 and conducted by Nicola O’Connor (Mandarin Research) and Ross Holleron (Building Performance Network) for the Good Homes Alliance in collaboration with Woodknowledge Wales and the Sustainable Development Foundation.
Publication date: August 2021
The clauses are free-to-download and set minimum requirements for performance standards for energy (net zero), emissions, health, comfort and building performance evaluation.
Developed in collaboration with:
With input from our local authority (Vanguard) and housing association (Pathfinder) network members via a workshop.
The work has been kindly funded by the MCS Charitable Foundation.
The new clauses can be adopted by clients (i.e. local authorities, RSLs) and included in Employer’s Requirements and Design Guides. The clauses principally intend to:
The clauses provide minimum requirements set out as a performance specification which can be used in connection with both self-promoted and Section.106 developments, they should not be relied upon for any other purpose. Additionally, the clauses seek to clarify the responsibilities of designers and developers in satisfying the requirements.
The ERs are built around standards set by LETI in their Climate Emergency Design Guide, the Future Homes Standard and Woodknowledge Wales BPE Guidance.
Authors: For the Good Homes Alliance, authored by Paul Ciniglio, BM3e Principal, Boulter Mossman with input from Jim Allman, Director, Boulter Mossman and Prof. Tim Sharpe, independent consultant.
Publication date: June 2021, v3
Main document:
Appendices:
On June 1st 2021 we hosted the Model Employer’s Requirements and Design Brief Clauses launch event. You can watch the video of the event below.
Speakers included:
The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) published a new report, entitled A housing market catalyst to drive carbon emission reductions Low energy adjustment to Stamp Duty Land Tax, showing how a stamp duty incentive could help transform the energy and carbon performance of the nation’s homes.
The report demonstrates how a modest adjustment to Stamp Duty Land Tax could catalyse and drive the market to deliver both energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heat and power, whilst also being revenue neutral to HM Treasury.
Author: David Adams, Director, Good Homes Alliance
Concept development, review and testing
Jenny Holland, UKGBC
Pedro Guertler, E3G
Nick Eyre, Oxford University Professor of Energy & Climate Policy
Lynne Sullivan, Good Homes Alliance
Mike Roberts, Good Homes Alliance
Steven Heath, Knauf Insulation
Publication date: April 2021
Plan for Use is the RIBA’s interpretation of the Soft Landings Framework produced by the Usable Buildings Trust and BSRIA. Its aim is to encourage a more outcome-based approach to briefing, design, construction, and handover, both within the architectural profession and (by extension) to the construction industry as a whole. The Plan for Use is embedded within the RIBA Plan of Work 2020.
The building performance evaluation guidance and toolkit, produced for Woodknowledge Wales on behalf of the Home-Grown Homes project has been referenced in the guide. The document was authored by Susie Diamond & Julie Godefroy, for the Good Homes Alliance.
See the BPE guidance HERE
Author: Mike Chater, Principal Architect Property Services, Hampshire County Council
Project Manager: Alex Tait, Head of Technical Practice, RIBA
Editor and Case Study Curator: Jess Hrivnak, Sustainable Development Adviser, RIBA
Publication date: March 2021
Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.
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If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.
This guidance is aimed at housing clients, and anyone interested in Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) who wants to evaluate and improve the performance of homes.
Its purpose is to provide an introduction to applying BPE in practice on projects, with:
This guidance recommends a “core” BPE scope for clients and project teams wanting to understand and improve the performance of their homes. This provides a holistic look at performance, including people, the indoor environment, fabric performance, energy use and water use. It highlights how BPE techniques can work together, and the interactions between energy performance, people, and the indoor environment. It limits the involvement of experts and expensive equipment. Instead, the aim is to embed building performance throughout the project stages and empower project teams to deliver high performance.
Authors: This guidance has been produced for Woodknowledge Wales on behalf of the Home-Grown Homes project. The document was authored by Susie Diamond, Inkling & Julie Godefroy Sustainability, for the Good Homes Alliance.
Publication date: January 2021
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.
There have been a number of studies undertaken over the last 10 years to understand the performance of homes, addressing issues such as energy consumption and outcomes for occupants and building owners. However, many of these studies are not widely publicised and limited to a small audience: their full potential is not being realised.
Now, we are transitioning into a new future of understanding building performance: the technology is becoming cheaper and data more available. As we enter a world of smart meters and smart homes, individuals and organisations will be better able to better understand how homes perform.
To harness the currently available knowledge and the opportunities around the corner, this work for the Building Performance Network addresses the following issues and includes:
This map was created by researchers at Oxford Brookes University, School of Architecture.
Author: Building Performance Network
Publication date: June 2020