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Future Homes Hub to hold two Technical Conferences in Leeds and London this June

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:03:54 GMT

Registration is now open.

To find out more visit the Future Homes Hub website: https://www.futurehomes.org.uk/fhs-technical-conferences

Direct registration link available here

New Water Smart Growth Board Established to Support Sustainable Housing Delivery Through Integrated Water Management

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:58:54 GMT

The Future Homes Hub is pleased to announce the establishment of a new cross‑sector Water Smart Growth Board (WSGB)

The Future Homes Hub Welcomes Publication of the Future Homes Standard

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:45:21 GMT

New Industry-Government Partnership to Tackle Embodied Carbon and Drive Resource Efficiency Savings

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:55:07 GMT

The Future Homes Hub has now established a new Embodied Carbon and Resource Efficiency Board (ECREB) to provide strategic leadership and coordination in implementing the New Homes Sector Transition Plan.

Get Future Homes Standard Ready: UK new homes sector unites on mission to deliver next generation of low energy homes

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:35:43 GMT

A step change for the sector

The Future Homes Standard represents a fundamental shift in how new homes are designed, built, commissioned and supported. Central to the FHS is the move away from fossil-fuel boilers to low carbon heating systems, often in the form of heat pumps where the lower temperatures require high levels of construction and heating system precision to deliver the required level of performance.

Charlotte Lee, Chief Executive of HPA UK and Chair of the Future Homes Hub Heat Pump Development Group, commented:

“Following the introduction of the 2021 Part L Building Regulations, there has been clear progress in reducing gas grid connections, with around 25% of UK new-build completions in 2025 installing a heat pump, up from 15% in 2024. The forthcoming Future Homes Standard will go further, effectively prohibiting new homes from connecting to the gas grid and driving a significant increase in heat pump adoption.

“Heat pumps are a proven, scalable, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuel boilers. However, their successful deployment requires sector-specific skills, careful design, and informed use. The FHH Essentials provide a timely and welcome intervention, helping homebuilders to de-risk delivery, optimise performance and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction at scale by drawing on lessons learnt from early adopters and pilot projects.”

Partnering with the SME community

Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) homebuilders are considered vital to achieving the UK government’s target of 1.5 million new homes and are a primary focus for the campaign, which is releasing new guidance on topics including grid connections and the customer journey through to heating design and procurement.

Chair of the Future Homes Hub’s SME Liaison Group and Managing Director of Hampshire-based housebuilder Bargate, Mark White, said:

"What's critical for us as a community of SMEs is to listen to the advice that's out there and gather information from the experts - whether that's organisations like the Future Homes Hub or from the suppliers and installers themselves.

“We've got to accept that this is a partnership. We're all on the journey together - and the end result will be beautiful homes for our customers.”

To find out more about the campaign and explore the Future Homes Standard Essentials, go to www.futurehomes.org.uk/future-homes-standard-ready and check out the Future Homes Hub’s YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@futurehomeshubUK

Jennie Daly CBE appointed Chair of the Future Homes Hub

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:00:50 GMT

Jennie Daly CBE, Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey plc, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Future Homes Hub.

New Architect-Focused Heat Pump Design Guide Launched to Support Future Homes Standard Delivery

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:43:29 GMT

BNG Tech Providers - A Market Snapshot by Andrew Hicks

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:01:36 GMT

Reviewing the Future of Part G: Key Themes from Our Industry Discussion

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 09:40:52 GMT

A New Era of Carbon Transparency: Landmark Study Establishes a Data-Driven Path to Net Zero for UK Homebuilders

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:53:04 GMT

Future Homes Conference 2025

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 01:01:51 GMT

The Future Homes Conference took place on 13 November at the QEII centre in London.

Visit the conference web page for information about the event

Download the conference brochure

New Knowledge Centre launched

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 01:11:32 GMT

The Future Homes Hub has launched a new Knowledge Centre to help house builders and their advisors access the latest guidance on designing and building the next generation of sustainable homes. Comprehensive search and filtering functions make it easy to quickly find the most relevant case studies, tools, guidance and reports.

Visit the Knowledge Centre

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board: One Year On

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:32:43 GMT

HEM Consultation - Government Response Published

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 15:48:30 GMT

HEM Consultation - Government Response Published

Whilst we await the Future Homes Standard (FHS) legislation and Home Energy Model (HEM) detail due to be published later this year, helpfully DESNZ has published the government’s response to the HEM consultation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/home-energy-model-replacement-for-the-standard-assessment-procedure-sap

A quick reminder, the HEM consultation was separate to the FHS consultation and focused on the design and function of the replacement to SAP and was accompanied by a consultation version of the HEM software to help inform feedback.

For those that have been following the ‘Energy Calculation as a Service’ (ECaaS) updates over the last months, no surprises are expected. For those less closely involved, but still interested in detail, the consultation response provides a handy summary of the decisions the government has made since the consultation closed.

A few very high level takeaways include:

HEM is not an evolution of SAP, it is a whole new model
Confirmed it will be called the Home Energy Model (HEM) and the calculation will be undertaken centrally with the ‘Schemes’ providing front-end software for Assessors
Based on British and EU standards for the calculations
30-minute time step resolution is confirmed
They are continuing to test and validate the model
A greater number of product categories are included compared with SAP, e.g. cylinders (and products that were in SAP Appendix Q are being included in the main model)
There will be an updated version of the ‘Appendix Q’ procedure for enabling the inclusion of new products into the model
Since consultation:
Ventilation and infiltration reworked
Updated storage heater and heat battery models
Expanded types of heat pumps included
Reworked solar PV and electric battery models
Improved the hot water demand and storage

The Hub, via its HEM and Notional Building Implementation Group, continues to work with government officials to prepare the ground for the successful implementation of the Future Homes Standard. This said, we all eagerly await the FHS publication.

By David Adams

David Campbell joins the Future Homes Hub Board

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:21:44 GMT

David Campbell joins the Future Homes Hub Board

The Future Homes Hub is delighted to announce the appointment of David Campbell, Chief Operating Officer of NHBC, to its Board.

David joined NHBC in January 2020 and was appointed to the main Board in April that year. As Chief Operating Officer of NHBC, the UK’s leading independent provider of warranty and insurance for new homes, he holds overall responsibility for the Commercial and Operations teams – from Inspection and Technical, to Business Development and Marketing & Communications - bringing a focus on customer service and value whilst maintaining rigorous quality standards.

With over 30 years’ experience in the homebuilding industry, David brings with him a wealth of knowledge on technical standards, customer engagement and the skills needed to deliver better homes at scale. Before joining NHBC, he spent eight years on the main board of London developer Telford Homes plc and has also held senior director and regional managing director roles at major residential and mixed-use developers including the Berkeley Group, Barratt Developments and Wilson Bowden Developments. His track record of working at board level with the UK’s largest builders means he is uniquely placed to support the Hub’s mission of helping the sector navigate rapid change.

David’s appointment strengthens the Hub’s governance at a crucial moment. The Future Homes Hub Business Plan 2025–2028 sets out a clear focus on scaling up delivery of the Future Homes Standard, embedding sustainability metrics, reducing embodied carbon, and ensuring that new homes and places are consistently low-carbon, nature-rich, resilient and high-quality.

Speaking about his appointment, David said:

“NHBC has a unique role as a trusted, independent voice in the sector, combining technical expertise, skills provision and a strong consumer focus. I’m excited to bring that perspective to the Future Homes Hub Board and to work with colleagues from across the industry to help deliver the sector’s transition to high-quality, sustainable homes.”

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, welcomed David’s appointment:

“David’s deep expertise in quality, standards and customer care will be invaluable as the Hub supports the industry through one of the most significant transitions in a generation. His insight and leadership will help ensure we can deliver at scale while maintaining the trust of homeowners, communities and government.”

David’s role on the Board will support the Hub’s wider efforts to bring the whole homebuilding community together under a shared Delivery Plan. His appointment reflects the Hub’s commitment to creating consistency, coherence and collaboration across the sector - ensuring the industry can build trust with customers, regulators and communities while delivering the scale of change needed to meet the UK’s climate and environmental goals.

Part G Consultation Blog - John Slaughter

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:16:29 GMT

Part G Consultation - John Slaughter, External Affairs Director, Water Neutrality Group Lead (Future Homes Hub).

It is always said that patience is a virtue, and having experienced a number of false dawns on an expected announcement it is good to see the Government at last consulting on the revision of Part G of the Building Regulations.

While we have been waiting for the consultation in the last year and a half it has become ever clearer that water supply is not something we can take for granted. England does not have enough water to meet future demand sustainably unless the nation takes steps to use water more efficiently.

Alongside planned investment in new reservoirs and supply infrastructure, a major effort is needed to reduce per capita water demand if we are to avoid a prospective 5 billion litres per day water supply shortfall by the 2050s. Water scarcity is already constraining new build housing in some areas and if we are to meet the Government’s housing targets new homes will need to be more water efficient as part of a wider strategy for demand management.

The Part G consultation should be seen in this context and it is telling that it looks not just at a proposed immediate change in the Building Regulations, but also in an allied call for evidence seeks views on possible further improvements in water efficiency standards in the future.

The main elements of the consultation proposals - at Review of Water Efficiency Standards in the Building Regulations 2010 - Defra - Citizen Space - are:

To require a mandatory minimum water efficiency standard of 105 Litres Per Person Per Day (LPPPD), with an optional technical standard of 100 LPPPD in seriously water stressed areas, once a change in the Regulations takes effect in 2026.
The revision of the water calculator methodology and a proposed new set of maximum water flow limits for fittings if developers choose to meet the Regulations using the fittings-based option (details in a draft Approved Document included as an appendix to the consultation).
Implementation of new Part G Regulations in 2026, with a transition period of 6 months.
A review after the introduction and initial assessment of the Mandatory Water Efficiency Label (MWEL) scheme for fittings to consider possible alignment between MWEL and Part G.

Outside the main consultation options, views are also sought on whether a possible alternative metric to LPPPD for Part G might be considered and whether there are any Part G compliance issues.

The headline proposal to increase water efficiency standards for new build homes next year to 105, or in seriously water stressed areas, 100, LPPPD mirror the recommendations the Hub made in its 2024 “Water Ready” report which, at Government’s request, advised Defra on what we thought would be practical for advancing water efficiency in new build.

The consultation does not, however, make any proposals relating to the circumstances (or the level of standard) in which local areas may seek to set more ambitious water efficiency standards than the optional technical standard in Part G, as has been the case in a number of locations. The consultation’s background information simply references the 2023 Written Ministerial Statement that in areas of serious water stress, where water scarcity is inhibiting the adoption of local plans or the granting of planning permission for homes, it is encouraged that local planning authorities work with the Environment Agency and delivery partners to agree standards tighter than the optional technical standard in Part G. This does therefore leave the overall picture on standards subject to a lack of clarity and certainty.

On other matters, the Water Ready report also called for revision of the water calculator and proposed that Part G moved to a fittings-based approach, setting out a range of “contender specifications” for how particular levels of possible future water efficiency standards might be achieved. So, it is welcome that these issues are raised in the consultation.

The consultation makes several references to the work and findings of the Water Ready report and is accompanied by a call for evidence which seeks views on issues beyond an immediate change in Part G requirements in 2026, including:

Whether wider reform of Part G should be pursued
The possible further tightening of both the mandatory (to 100 or 95 LPPPD) and the optional technical (to 90, 85 or 80 LPPPD) Part G standards in the future
Whether in future water reuse systems should be required under Part G and, if so, what the issues and enablers would be.

The spirit of the call for evidence echoes Water Ready’s recommendation for the Government to adopt a practical longer-term timeline or roadmap for increasing water efficiency standards. However, the Government has not proposed any specific timetable at this stage or indicated a preference for the level of standards in any further change to Part G. That is the ground to be debated and considered under the call for evidence.

The Government’s interest in views on whether water reuse should be required under Part G is a recognition of both the Hub’s work and that of others, which indicates that achieving progressively more ambitious water efficiency standards beyond those envisaged for the 2026, change in Part G will be likely to require water reuse as part of the answer. The question of whether it would be helpful in future to specify water reuse as part of a regulatory requirement does, however, requires proper consideration.

Overall, the consultation and call for evidence is a comparatively slim document by the standards of Government consultations. This is welcomed and will help focus discussion and submissions on the core issues. The core issues are nevertheless significant and we are keen to understand members’ views and potential issues on these.

The consultation period lasts for 12 weeks until 16 December and we encourage members to respond.

We will be organising a webinar and a dedicated meeting on the proposals and look forward to engaging with you.

John Slaughter

External Affairs Director

Home Buyer Customer Journey Guide to support Sales & Marketing teams with Future Homes Standard homes

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:20:31 GMT

The Future Homes Hub has launched the Future Homes Standard – Home Buyer Customer Journey: Developers Good Practice Guide, a new template designed to help Sales & Marketing teams prepare buyers for all-electric, low energy homes.

Find out more about the Future Homes Standard – Home Buyer Customer Journey: Developers Good Practice Guide

Alison Crofton Joins Future Homes Hub Board, Bringing Strategic Leadership Across Housing, Regeneration and Sustainability.

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:40:41 GMT

Alison Crofton Joins Future Homes Hub Board, Bringing Strategic Leadership Across Housing, Regeneration and Sustainability.

The Future Homes Hub is delighted to announce the appointment of Alison Crofton, Chief Property Officer at Homes England, to its Board of Directors. Alison brings over two decades of senior experience across residential development, regeneration, and property strategy, and holds influential roles as a Board Member of the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and Director of the English Cities Fund.

The Future Homes Hub was established to facilitate the collaboration needed within and beyond the homebuilding sector to meet the UK’s legally binding net zero and wider environmental goals. Working closely with homebuilders, supply chains, infrastructure, finance and government, the Hub develops practical solutions to regulatory change, coordinates industry-wide implementation, and aligns the sector on long-term sustainability targets.

In her role at Homes England, Alison leads on the strategic management and development of the agency’s land and property portfolio to unlock sustainable housing growth, champion regeneration, and drive innovation in delivery. She has previously served as National Development Director and Development Director at Homes England, following senior roles at Redrow. Alison’s appointment will further strengthen the Hub’s leadership as it works with the sector to deliver high-quality, low-carbon, climate-resilient homes at scale.

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, said:

“Alison brings a unique blend of public and private sector leadership, a deep understanding of the housing market, and a proven track record in delivering complex regeneration and development programmes. Her insights will be invaluable as the Hub supports the sector to meet net zero, enhance quality, and create thriving, sustainable communities.”

Alison Crofton, Future Homes Hub Board Member, said:

“The Hub plays a vital role in uniting the industry and government to deliver the homes we need in a way that benefits people, places and the planet. I’m looking forward to working with fellow Board members to help shape the sector’s response to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

The Hub’s Board plays a critical role in aligning the Hub’s work with government ambition, industry capability and the urgent need to address climate and environmental challenges.

For more information about the Future Homes Hub Board and organisational structure visit: About the Future Homes Hub

Nick Barter Joins Future Homes Hub Board

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:29:15 GMT

Nick Barter Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Strengthen Collaboration on Nature-Positive Development and Land Use Policy

The Future Homes Hub is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Barter, Deputy Director for Land Use at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), to its Board of Directors. Nick leads UK Government policy on the Land Use Framework, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), Local Nature Recovery Strategies and aspects of planning reform to ensure nature-positive development, working closely with stakeholders across housing, planning, and environmental sectors.

The Future Homes Hub brings together leaders from across the new homes sector and its partners to coordinate action on the UK’s climate and environmental ambitions. Acting as a central forum for collaboration, the Hub works with industry, government, and the wider supply chain to agree common goals, tackle barriers to delivery, and accelerate the transition to high-quality, low-carbon, nature-rich homes and communities.

Nick has spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Defra, including as Deputy Director for Net Zero, overseeing strategy across agriculture, forestry, waste, and land use, and as Deputy Director for Natural Environment Strategy, leading the development and implementation of the UK’s 25 Year Environment Plan. His experience spans climate policy, biodiversity, forestry, and land use planning.

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, said:

“Nick’s leadership at the intersection of land use, nature recovery and housing policy brings a vital perspective to the Board. His experience will help us ensure that new homes are delivered in ways that enhance nature, support climate goals, and create thriving communities. We are delighted to welcome him.”

Nick Barter, Future Homes Hub Board Member, said:

“The Hub plays a unique role in aligning the housing sector with our environmental ambitions. I look forward to working with fellow Board members to ensure that Biodiversity Net Gain, nature recovery and land use policy are embedded into the future of homebuilding – delivering benefits for people, places and nature.”

By joining the Future Homes Hub Board – which brings together senior leaders from government, industry, housing, finance, sustainability and innovation – Nick will contribute his deep expertise in environmental policy and land use to help steer the sector towards nature-positive, climate-resilient development. His insight will be key to ensuring that the Hub’s work reflects both the opportunities and the practical realities of delivering high-quality, low-carbon homes across the country.

For more information about the Future Homes Hub Board and organisational structure visit: About the Future Homes Hub

Mark Farmer Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Accelerate Modern Methods and Net Zero Transition

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:27:24 GMT

Mark Farmer Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Accelerate Modern Methods and Net Zero Transition

Mark’s appointment further strengthens the Future Homes Hub Board, which provides strategic oversight and ensures that the UK’s new homes sector delivers high-quality, low-carbon, climate-resilient homes. The Board comprises senior leaders from across government, industry, housing, finance, sustainability and innovation.

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, said:

“Mark’s track record in driving construction innovation and challenging outdated practices is second to none. His insights and experience will be vital as we support the sector to build high performing sustainable homes at scale – with the skills, supply chains and policy environment to match. We are delighted to welcome him to the Board.”

Mark Farmer, Future Homes Hub board member, said:

“The Future Homes Hub is playing a pivotal role in coordinating the sector’s response to climate and environmental challenges. I’m looking forward to contributing to its strategic direction and helping ensure that we embed innovation, sustainability and resilience into the mainstream of homebuilding.”

The Hub’s work includes setting the long-term roadmap for change, agreeing consistent methods to measure performance developing technical solutions for regulatory changes, collaborating to overcome implementation barriers, and proposing industry-led approaches to future policy. The Hub has formed specific partnerships between the sector and Government on key areas of policy including the Future Homes Standard, Biodiversity Net Gain, embodied carbon and smart water management.

The Future Homes Hub operates as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, with all the UK’s largest homebuilders, a cross-section of smaller homebuilders, the largest housing associations and the key supply chain, financers and consultants to the sector.

For further information about the Future Homes Hub, visit: www.futurehomes.org.uk

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board Quarterly Update July 2025

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 15:50:53 GMT

Future Homes Hub Expands ‘Homes for Nature’ to Include Apartments

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:07:56 GMT

The Hub June Newsletter

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:51:59 GMT

Read our monthly newsletter for the latest insights and updates on sustainable homebuilding, as well as progress reports on the impactful work being carried out via the Hub's Steering Groups on behalf of the sector.

In the newsletter:

Beyond the Blueprints: Seeing the Bigger Picture with Future Homes Hub

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:12:38 GMT

Bargate Managing Director Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Champion SMEs

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:04:40 GMT

Future Homes Hub Launches New Guide to Simplify Biodiversity Net Gain On-Site

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 04:30:08 GMT

Future Homes Standard: Update and webinar

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:47:20 GMT

Future Homes Standard DESNZ Announcement

Friday, 6th June 2025

We learnt more today about the Future Homes Standard. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has confirmed that the FHS will be published in the autumn and the vast majority of homes will have solar panels included as a ‘Functional Requirement’. Read more.

The announcement explains that the building regulations would be amended to explicitly promote solar, subject to the practical limits, whilst providing flexibility and that officials were working with industry to set the technical detail.

The announcement does not confirm the extent of the solar requirement although refers to a rooftop revolution. An illustration was provided suggesting a saving of around £530 a year which was based on a 3.5kW south facing installation.

Combining this announcement with other statements, what we know is:

Homes will be gas free
The vast majority of homes will need solar PV as a Functional Requirement but with flexibility
The new energy calculation methodology, Home Energy Model (HEM) will be released in 2 phases, a ‘limited capability’ version in July / August and the fully functional version in the Autumn
Alongside HEM, an updated version of the current methodology SAP with the FHS notional specification, would be available for a limited period
The full standard will be published in the Autumn
The announcement does not yet confirm the lead in and transitional arrangement timing, but the assumption that the Hub is using for its planning and preparation is:
Legislation being laid before Parliament in December 2025 and coming into effect December 2026
A 12-month Transitional Arrangement Period running to Dec 2027 after which all new homes commenced will be to the Future Homes Standard
Expectation of mass scale building of homes to Part L FHS from mid-2028.

Matthew Pratt, CEO at Redrow and co-chair of the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board has published a blog today referring to the opportunity the Future Homes Standard represents to build better performing new homes, the challenges and the mission-based approach the sector is taking to secure implementation by collaborating through the Hub.

Matthew says: “ We have a collective responsibility to support the whole industry with this change.”

Read the full blog post here.

The Future Homes Hub will host a FHS Q&A webinar on Friday, 13th June at 12-1pm to provide an overview of what is known, what further detail is expected is later and how the sector is working in partnership to deliver the standard at scale. The webinar panel will feature: John Palmer (MHCLG), Oliver Novakovic (Barratt Redrow), Jack Brayshaw (Vistry), Mark White (Bargate Homes), Charlotte Lee (HPA), Neil Madgwick (UKPN) and David Adams (Future Homes Hub).

Please register here if you would like to attend.

The Future Homes Standard: a mission-driven approach to deliver at pace and scale

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:44:10 GMT

The Future Homes Standard: a mission-driven approach to deliver at pace and scale.

Matthew Pratt

We must therefore pull together as a new homes community – and by that I mean homebuilders, housing associations, suppliers and building merchants, infrastructure designers, financial institutions, central and local Government –and adopt a mission-based approach to delivering change at scale. Thankfully, as the wider homebuilding sector, with leadership from the Home Builders Federation and support from Government, we have had the foresight to set up the Future Homes Hub to drive this mission forward. Whilst the Hub has a remit to support positive change across a wider set of issues, from Biodiversity Net Gain to water efficiency, The Future Homes Standard is, in the near term, mission critical.

The Future Homes Hub is ready to work collaboratively with the sector and to drive this mission forward. The central brain of this mission is the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board, a structure that I and the director of building regulations at MHCLG have had the enormous privilege to help set up and chair. The Implementation Board brings together the key parties who need to work together to succeed, and meet regularly to review our shared problems and identify the best solutions, covering:

Heat pumps – forecasting numbers and scaling up skills and supply chain, and providing the guidance and information needed by site managers, designers, assessors and installers need.
Consumer – pooling experience of successful customer journeys and providing guidance for sales teams and buyers.
Fabric – establishing the design solutions, site guidance and construction details required for smaller builders.
Building performance evaluation – establishing the methods to ensure buildings perform in line with design expectations.
Grid and demand flexibility – working out the power requirements of all electric development, how to get an efficient grid connection and the opportunities to use smart energy systems like micro-grids.
Home energy model – supporting the Government’s development of the new energy modelling software.
Heat networks – supporting implementation for those using heat networks.
Ventilation – supporting design and commissioning of new ventilation systems.

The Hub is also leading important work with lenders and valuers to provide the data needed to ensure lending criteria and valuation reflects the design and performance of new homes.

Personally, I am acutely aware that whilst at Redrow, and now at Barratt Redrow, we have had the benefit of superb central technical teams that work through the implications and provide the right knowledge at the right time to our regional and divisional teams. I know smaller developers will not always have the same capacity to help them to navigate change.

We therefore have a collective responsibility, particularly as larger companies, to share information and support the whole industry with the change. Through the Hub, with support from the Government, we must scale up the support we collectively provide so developers of all sizes across the country have the right information at the right time to succeed.

I have been hugely encouraged by the spirit of collaboration to solve issues collectively and build better homes at scale. I would like to thank the vast number of homebuilders, suppliers, financial institutions and others that contribute to make it possible. Importantly, membership of the Future Homes Hub is free for the smallest developers. If you are not a member, do get in touch to join up.

Finally, while a step forward, today’s announcement does not give us all the detail on the new standard, so we look forward to continuing to support Government as they work towards publishing the full standard later this year.

The Hub May Newsletter

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 12:01:04 GMT

In the newsletter:

Launch of the New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan
Publication of the Future Homes Hub Business Plan
Future Homes Standard: Dual System Approach Confirmed for Smoother Rollout
Driving Practical PV Solutions for New Homes: The Hub's Recommendations
Tackling the Unique Challenges of Taller Homes
Carbon Measurement: Updates to the WLC Tool and How You Can Get Involved
BNG Implementation Board Priorities for the Next Quarter
Future Homes Conference 2025: Secure Your Early Bird Ticket
Site Visits and Webinars This June

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board quarterly update May 2025

Wed, 21 May 2025 11:26:13 GMT

The Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board met on the 23 ^rd April 2025.

This note covers the areas agreed for focus in the next quarter and where input and wider support on these activities is welcomed. There was also a discussion on how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) fits with other evolving nature recovery policy areas, summarised below.

From improved comfort and health to smart technologies, better air quality, lower energy bills, and greater energy security, the transition to net zero offers the unmissable chance to deliver even better homes for people and the environment alike. And all of this whilst potentially kickstarting a material economic opportunity for the UK.

Focus areas for the next quarter

How BNG interacts with other National Planning Policies: This is a continued action requesting examples of where compatibility issues have been experienced with other national nature policies and BNG.

Communications strategy: A small working group is being set up to develop a shared comms plan to disseminate the existing and emerging information and guidance to support the implementation of BNG.

Offsite Market Implementation Group. Terms of Reference have been agreed.

Working group on small sites. This is focussed on collecting case studies of where challenges are faced and also where BNG has worked well, and knowledge can be shared within the SME community to support others. Please get in touch if you are an SME, have case studies to share, and would like to be a part of this group.

Consistency in baseline surveys. This set of actions has been progressing since the first BNG implementation board meeting. The purpose is to determine where additional guidance and support can be provided in the baseline assessment. This work is feeding into CIEEM’s training programme and the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) work in support of Local Authorities.

BNG Nature Tech Implementation Group. Terms of Reference have been agreed.

BNG and phased Development. A task and finish group will make proposals for phased developments.

Planning Policy Guidance. A small group will be set up to review the clarity and wording of the PPG to suggest where clarification could be provided by government to help with the Implementation of BNG.

How BNG fits with other policies

The meeting discussed alignment of BNG with other nature and planning policies, including the Nature Restoration Fund, Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Local Plans.

The common theme for all of them is the need for clarity and certainty of these policies and how they are to interact with BNG. This is both the policies themselves but also a communications action to ensure the government's intention is communicated widely and clearly.

A Shared Pathway to Better Homes and a Sustainable Future

Thu, 15 May 2025 14:45:36 GMT

It’s disappointing to have to start this post with what should be an obvious point, but perhaps not entirely evident in the current words and actions of some – reaching net zero is not only essential for the planet’s survival, it also represents a profound opportunity to rethink how we build homes across the country.

Yet we find ourselves at another challenging moment, with anti-net zero rhetoric and a push-back on sustainability policies gathering momentum around the world.

A case of déjà vu if ever there was one.

Here in the UK, the government has rightly prioritised the urgent need to build 1.5 million homes and to streamline the planning process, but we must not lose sight of the many benefits of decarbonising the way we power, design, and live in our homes over the long-term.

And we know the government intends to introduce the Future Homes Standard (FHS) later this year – a positive step. But beyond that, the policy horizon is unclear. Getting to net zero is complex. It involves deep shifts in planning, land pricing, home design, innovation, supply chain development, skills and training. The industry needs a clear and predictable timetable to manage this complexity effectively and invest with confidence.

That’s why the introduction of the Net Zero Transition Plan for the new homes sector is so significant. Developed collaboratively by industry, government, partners, and the supply chain, this plan outlines a long-term pathway to guide the sector through the whole of the transition.

The Transition Plan, supported by good regulation like the Future Homes Standard, provides precisely the kind of certainty that homebuilders need.

But no single company can achieve this transition alone. It requires a coordinated effort:

Cross-sector collaboration , through the Hub and groups like the Net Zero Council, will align strategies and ensure that individual efforts create a meaningful national shift.
Government partnership is essential to establish the regulatory foundations that ensure consistency and certainty nationwide.
Shared research and demonstrator projects , pooling research and findings on design, materials and technology will help accelerate innovation.
Joint planning with the supply chain and skills providers will ensure the workforce is ready for the future.
Unified measurement and tracking will keep the plan current and responsive to change.

The Net Zero Transition Plan marks the beginning of this journey. It’s a living framework, one that will evolve, adapt, and strengthen over time. With 35 of the country’s largest and a cross section of medium and smaller homebuilders committed to reducing emissions in line with the plan, now is the time for the whole industry to engage and align clean growth pathways and solutions with the transition plan and shape the future of homebuilding in the UK. Together, we can build homes that are fit for a sustainable future.

New Homes Net Zero Transition Plan

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:55:01 GMT

Today the new homes sector has set out its initial Transition Plan as a shared pathway and framework for decarbonising new homes consistent with the Government's carbon budget and housing delivery plans.

Download the New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan

The Plan has been developed by the Future Homes Hub and the Carbon Trust drawing on all existing company level plans, the Government’s Carbon Budget delivery Plans, advice from Climate Change Committee and previous work done by non-Government organisations.

All the country’s largest and a cross section of medium and smaller homebuilders have committed to reduce emissions to contribute to sector decarbonisation in line with the Transition Plan. Companies include: Allison Homes, Bargate, Barratt Redrow, Bellway, Berkeley Group, Bewley Homes, Cala, Carbon Neutral Homes, Cavanna Homes, CG Fry & Son Development, Churchill Living, Clarion Housing Group, Crest Nicholson, Croudace Group, Dandara, Duchy of Cornwall, Durkan Homes, Fairview Homes Homes Ltd, Gleeson, Greencore Homes, The Hill Group, Keepmoat, L&Q, Lioncourt Homes, McCarthy Stone, Miller Homes, Orbit Homes, Persimmon Plc, Places for People, Platform Housing Group, Strata, Taylor Wimpey, Thakeham, VerdeGo Group and Vistry Group.

The purpose of the plan is to provide homebuilders, materials manufacturers and suppliers, contractors, trades, financial institutions, central Government and local Government with a shared pathway and framework to align around and to work together on overcoming barriers. By involving homebuilders in its development, the plan also reflects housing growth plans and the opportunities to make new homes more comfortable and cheaper to run as we decarbonise the way we build.

The initial estimate of the baseline emissions from the new homes sector is just under 50 million tonnes per annum in total made up of:

39% from the operation of new homes
6% from the construction process
50% from construction products
5% from head office, staff and other emissions

The plan sets out a pathway for reducing those emissions through nine emissions reduction levers:

1. Operational decarbonisation through the Future Homes Standard

2. Smart controls and energy storage

3. Fuel switching and plant decarbonisation

4. Generator/compound energy saving

5. Design for low embodied carbon and alternative materials

6-9. Reduce emissions from concrete, steel, bricks and other materials.

The sector will collaborate to support delivery of these actions through two bodies administered by the Future Homes Hub:

The Future Homes Implementation Board, which is co-chaired by MHCLG and Matthew Pratt at Barratt Redrow
The Embodied Carbon Implementation Board which will bring homebuilders, materials suppliers, Government Departments and other stakeholders together to drive reduction of embodied carbon.

The Future Homes Hub will also work with the Government’s Net Zero Council, co-chaired by the Government’s Energy Secretary, to coordinate with decarbonisation in other sectors.

The Future Homes Hub is developing metrics which companies will report on to track progress. In 2026, the plan will be updated to ensure the sector remains on track for net zero as the wider landscape changes. An important focus of the plan is to help make decarbonisation simple and cost effective for smaller homebuilders and further guidance will be provided.

The Future Homes Hub invites continued input from stakeholders and will issue an updated transition plan later this year, incorporating refined data and improved assumptions to support the journey towards net zero. For more information about the Plan, please visit: Current Future Homes Hub Project - Net Zero Transition

David Thomas: Chair of the Future Homes Hub and Chief Executive of Barratt Redrow said:

For the UK to transition successfully to clean energy, building a generation of high quality, comfortable and affordable homes, government and the homebuilding sector need to unite behind one plan.

We must commit to collaborate and share lessons from innovation and trials, as well as larger companies helping to create markets for low carbon products at the scale required to bring down cost. The whole new homes supply chain must work with us to play their part in achieving this transition plan.

John Palmer, Deputy Director of New Build Standards and Performance, MHCLG said:

Reducing embodied carbon in the built environment is essential for achieving net zero targets. The Hub’s excellent work over recent years to make sure industry understands and is ready for net zero speak for themselves. An industry-wide approach like this can help developers understand and manage embodied carbon, enabling them to make the necessary changes.

Ryan McLaughlin, Director of Net Zero Strategy, DESNZ said:

Accelerating to net zero will unlock a range of benefits for businesses, including new market opportunities, access to green finance and reduced energy bills. Businesses, in turn, have a vital role to play and that is why sector roadmaps are so important - they help to guide the transition plans of individual companies, provide clear signals to investors and focus policymakers on priorities. Government is committed to working in partnership to support the business community in delivering their plans.

For media enquiries, further details, or to engage with the ongoing transition process, please contact:

Email: admin@futurehomes.org.uk

ENDS

About the Future Homes Hub:

The Future Homes Hub exists to facilitate collaboration in the homebuilding sector to meet the climate and environmental needs of the future. By working together, building partnerships, sharing solutions and celebrating success, we can build high quality, affordable and sustainable homes and places for customers and communities at scale.

As well as being delivery partners for national and local government to reach these goals, the Hub and its members are driving innovation, showing that net zero homes are possible and deliverable. It’s essential for the sector to share and amplify its progress, to build its reputation with partners and the public, demonstrating what’s possible and what remains to be done.

Net zero homes need to be the beating hearts of the places we call home. Whether new or regeneration, sustainable and new sustainable homes can increase local living standards, bring economic opportunity, and help build future-fit communities. The Hub supports new homebuilding to create the sustainable communities of the future and share innovations and progress as these places grow and get better over time.

The Hub April Newsletter

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:21:20 GMT

In the newsletter:

FHS Implementation Board Activities and Liaison
Embodied and Whole Life Carbon of FHS Options Report
BNG Updates from the Implementation Board
Valuation Group Update
Revisions to National Model Design Standard and Design Guide
Taller Buildings Liaison Group
Shared Learnings: Lunch & Learn Webinars
Shared Learnings: Site Visits
Future Homes Conference 2025: Save the Date
Coming Next Month: Strategic Initiatives

New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 01:35:31 GMT

The new homes sector has set out its initial Transition Plan as a shared pathway and framework for decarbonising new homes consistent with the Government's carbon budget and housing delivery plans.

Find out more about the New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan

Embodied and Whole Life Carbon of Future Homes Standard Options Report

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 20:33:53 GMT

The Hub is pleased to share the "Embodied and Whole Life Carbon of Future Homes Standard Options" report; a resource for homebuilders and designers navigating the path to net zero.

Builders are exploring a range of designs that can meet the expected Future Homes Standard and want to understand the impact of the embodied carbon as well as operational carbon of their homes - the whole life carbon. By comparing different, but common house types and designs, the new report calculates their embodied carbon, showing the importance of bespoke calculations and the over-simplification of focussing just on the material choice of the structural walls.

Since the publication of the FHS consultation in December 2023, developers have been working to identify likely specifications that will enable their house types to achieve the anticipated Part L (operational carbon) requirements cost effectively and to be delivered at scale. A Hub working group of developers and whole life carbon experts identified three examples of fabric and services specifications being considered.

Building upon the foundation laid by the Hub’s "Ready for Zero" report in February 2023, which focused on operational carbon, this new study takes some of the same dwelling archetypes (end-terrace, mid-terrace, and detached houses) and addresses the previously out of scope question of embodied carbon.

It draws on the experience of a Hub working group of developers and whole life carbon experts to identify three examples of fabric and services specifications being considered and analyses the embodied and whole life carbon of each option.

Embodied carbon modelling was carried out using the One Click LCA software, a widely used commercial software tool among housing developers for carrying out Whole Life Carbon Assessments, and Operational carbon modelled using SAP 10.2, the current version for Building Regulations Part L 2021 compliance.

Adam Graveley, Head of Technical and Innovation for the Hub said:

"Understanding whole life carbon is a crucial next step if we are to meet our net zero carbon ambitions as a sector.

At this natural time of change, as homebuilders and designers update their house types to meet the Future Homes Standard, there is an opportunity to also consider the up front and life cycle impact of embodied carbon.

This report supports those developers who are asking the next question: How do we build homes that both meet the Part L regulations and reduce the embodied carbon impact to support the transition to net zero?

We encourage developers to utilise the insights from this report and engage with our Whole Life Carbon Assessment Tool to further refine their designs."

Key Findings from the Report:

Future Homes Standard Implications: Fabric specification options being considered by homebuilders to meet the operational carbon performance of the FHS have broadly similar upfront and whole life embodied carbon impacts.

No "Silver Bullet" Solution: Reducing embodied carbon requires a multifaceted approach. Whilst there are design / construction-system opportunities to reduce embodied carbon, the report concludes that decarbonisation of construction products will need to play a significant role.

Tool Validation: The Hub’s Future Homes Carbon Assessment Tool, which estimates whole life carbon impacts based on a simplified elemental approach, demonstrated good alignment with a commercial tool, One Click LCA for fabric aspects, offering an entry point for smaller developers or those without the resource to do detailed modelling. The Hub’s tool is an excellent entry point for smaller developers, and for those who are starting their journey into whole life carbon assessments.

The full report is available for download here.

Webinar Announcement:

To further discuss the findings and implications of this report, the Hub are hosting a webinar on Friday 28th March at 1pm, as part of their Lunch & Learn webinar series.

This session will provide an opportunity for industry professionals to engage with homebuilders and gain deeper insights into the report's key findings and practical applications. Register for the webinar at: Future Homes Hub Webinars

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board quarterly update March 2025

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:47:11 GMT

The Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board met on the 13th February 2025.

This note covers the agreed focus areas, workstreams for the next quarter and where input and wider support on these activities is welcomed. There was also a discussion on how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) fits with other evolving nature recovery policy areas, summarised below.

Focus areas for the next quarter

How BNG interacts with other National Planning Policies : Examples are requested of where compatibility issues have been experienced with other national nature policies and BNG.

Communications strategy : Develop a comms plan to reach all those involved in the BNG process to help disseminate the existing and emerging information and guidance to support the implementation of BNG.

Set up a working group focusing on the offsite market . The purpose and aims of this group are to be developed under a Terms of Reference and agreed upon in the initial meetings. Note this group is fully subscribed.

Set up a working group focusing on small sites . This will focus on collecting case studies of where challenges are faced and also where BNG has worked well, and knowledge can be shared within the SME community to support others. This will be developed further under a Terms of Reference in the initial meetings. Please get in touch if you are an SME, have case studies to share, and would like to be a part of this group.

Consistency in baseline surveys . This set of actions has been progressing since the first BNG implementation board meeting. The purpose is to determine where additional guidance and support can be provided in the baseline assessment. This work is feeding onto CIEEM’s training programme and the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) work in supporting of Local Authorities.

Set up a working group focusing on where tech and AI can support the BNG policy . The purpose and aims of this group are to be developed under a Terms of Reference and agreed in the initial meetings.

If you would like to help with these workstreams or have case studies to share with the hub, please contact Krista.

How BNG fits with other evolving nature recovery policies

During the meeting discussions were held on Defra’s ongoing nature recovery workstreams and how BNG fits within these. The points below summarise the key takeaways from the update provided.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS)

Two have been published, and 46 are to go this year (although there is no legal deadline). About a dozen are at the public consultation stage.

LNRS’ are the opportunity map for BNG, they provide information on where to target effort that is evidence-based, locally led and community driven. They have BNG at their core through the strategic significance uplift.

The PPG was published on GOV.UK on 19 February to explain how they can be used by LPAs.

It is recognised that there are sequencing challenges between the LNRS, BNG and Local Plans. There will be an interim period in the alignment because it will take some time for Local Plans to become aligned with the LNRS. Both Local Plans and LNRSs will be regularly updated, allowing for increasing alignment.

Development and Nature Working Paper

The intention of the working paper is for it to interact with BNG, not move away from it.

The proposals are intended to be very targeted and specific, dealing with Nutrient Neutrality first and then moving on to other identified areas of concern.

Land Use Framework

The Land Use Framework is drawing on the same data as provided to LNRS responsible authorities through the LNRS data portal. However, the Land Use Framework remains data only, and the LNRS builds on the data with wider engagement.

The next meeting is scheduled on 23rd April 2025.

Background information on the BNG Implementation board can be found here

The Hub February Newsletter

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:34:43 GMT

In the newsletter:

Future Homes Standard Timeline: What We Know So Far
Improving Customer Experience of Heat Pumps: Shared Learnings from Early Adopters
Right-sizing Grid Infrastructure
New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan: Final Draft Out for Review
The Hub Launches the Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board
Benchmarking Embodied Carbon: Help Needed to Establish Reliable Benchmarks for the Sector
Biodiversity Net Gain: Help for Small Sites
Recommendations to Improve Part O on Overheating
Lunch & Learn Webinar Series: Upcoming Topics
Register Now for Upcoming Site Visits
Future Homes Conference 2024: Conference Report

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board Launches to Support Successful Delivery of Landmark Policy

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

One year after mandatory introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), the Future Homes Hub is thrilled to announce the launch of the Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board. The Board has been set up through the Hub to facilitate cross-sector collaboration with industry leaders, key stakeholders, and relevant government bodies to implement BNG at scale successfully.  

BNG has already achieved significant milestones in its first year. We’ve seen a remarkable increase in awareness of biodiversity’s crucial role in planning and development, with developers proactively considering ecological impacts from project inception. New habitats are being created and enhanced within developments, boosting the ecological value of our communities. A nascent market for biodiversity units is emerging, incentivising habitat creation and restoration. And, importantly, we’re witnessing collaboration and innovation across the sector to support large and small developers to deliver on the policy. 

While these successes are encouraging, we acknowledge that implementing such a transformative policy is not without its challenges. The complexity of BNG requires a unified, sector-wide approach to ensure consistent and effective delivery. We recognise the need to provide further clarity and support to navigate these complexities. 

That’s why the BNG Implementation Board has been established. Co-chaired by Julian Harlow, Defra, and Lorraine Fursland, Berkeley Homes, the Board comprises representatives from across the sector, including industry leaders, key stakeholders, and relevant government bodies.  

The Board's core purpose is to facilitate cross-sector collaboration to ensure BNG is implemented at scale successfully. It will thoroughly examine the root causes of identified challenges, determine if existing guidance can be better disseminated, and identify any necessary new actions to support industry progress. This collaborative approach will ensure that the sector receives the necessary support to navigate the complexities of BNG, fostering consistency and best practice. 

Ed Lockhart, CEO, Future Homes Hub: “The Future Homes Hub, through the BNG Implementation Board, is committed to working hand-in-hand with the industry and policymakers. We are confident that by working together, we can unlock the full potential of BNG, creating a legacy of thriving biodiversity for generations to come.” 

What support is out there for SMEs to meet the BNG requirements on small sites?

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 05:12:37 GMT

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is nearly a year old, and it’s clear that the world-leading policy is already reshaping planning across England. From Cornwall to Cumbria, Devon to Durham, the new law has resulted in developers rethinking designs to safeguard existing natural assets and enhance the local environment, with SMEs leading the charge since April.

SMEs are the backbone of English development, with 35,000 companies and individuals responsible for the overwhelming majority of planning applications. They may be overlooked in most policy conversations, but make no mistake - small sites are, in many ways, the keystone holding up the entire planning system, and nowhere is that truer than when it comes to BNG compliance.

Of course, BNG is far more than just a regulatory tick box exercise; it’s fundamentally a fresh perspective on development, a new attitude which offers genuine benefits for both the environment and local communities. Greener, more biodiverse sites boost sustainability and appeal to buyers and tenants, making BNG a win-win for all scales of developers and the local environment.

Small sites have unique challenges when it comes to BNG because, as a general rule, new regulations can weigh more heavily on SMEs. Recognising that exempting them would dramatically undermine BNG (as identified in this Net gain impact assessment) the Government introduced the Small Site Metric (SSM). This simpler scheme ensures that even modest developments can contribute to a more biodiverse future without being disproportionately burdened.

Nine months into the SSM, it’s clear that it has gone a long way towards addressing the issues facing small sites, but it is not enough as currently stands. LPAs have made clear that there is a lack of resources and guidance, which has caused a few headaches - but these are being addressed, with Natural England issuing new guidance over December. Now is the time to highlight ways we can further improve the current system – though it’s important that these ideas actually seek to make BNG work to its full potential for developers and biodiversity.

What is out there to help small developers

There is a wealth of resources available on the GOV.UK website and various other online collections of material. Future Homes Hub has worked closely with the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to provide bngonline.org.uk which has loads of links, resources and explainers – everything you could need to comply with BNG in one place!

Of course, there are also various ecological consultants out there who can help with a small site application, and CIEEM provides a great list of possible consultants based around England. But, for many small sites, there will also be digital tools that you can use to comply with the new requirements.

There are free tools such as Joe Bloom's LPA Portal to help LPAs comply with their BNG obligations too, as well as great paid services like Mycelia .

There are also various digital tool providers who have emerged in the last few years, providing specialist tools that can really help applicants. These include AI Dash , Verna and my own company, Joe’s Blooms .

What digital tools can I use?

Well, it’s worth saying that there are different digital tools for different jobs! For most parts of the BNG process, you can use free tools to complete the process:

The Exemption Checker is a free online tool that can help you determine whether BNG applies to your development
You can use the first part of the Joe’s Blooms BNG Tool to see whether you are genuinely a small site for no charge

When it comes to paying tools, the BNG Tool is a simple-to-use, end-to-end DIY tool that allows any eligible small site applicant to fully comply with BNG without the need for any consultant. Everything that you need to complete the whole process in a matter of minutes is provided directly to you – there’s a video explaining how it all works here!

The stats from our first few months hopefully show confidence on how digital tools can be used for smaller sites:

There were over 12,000 uses across the entire range of Joe’s Bloom's tools, allowing users to determine whether they need to comply with BNG and/or to help produce their biodiversity statement and/or to produce biodiversity metric sheets and habitat plans.

Over 500 planning applications used the Joe’s Blooms “Biodiversity Net Gain Tool” to complete all elements of their BNG application.

98% of all planning applications that used the “Biodiversity Net Gain Tool” reported no problems or issues.

42% of all uses of the BNG tool were completed in under 24 hours.

Submissions were made to over 200 Local Planning Authorities.

Case studies of success

We’ve already seen how our platform has transformed the way SMEs approach BNG. Here are three examples of how digital tools help Small Sites comply with BNG in the validation stage in a timely and cost-effective way:

Case Study 1: New Dwelling House and Garden in Greater Manchester

A recent project involved developing a new house and garden on a previously vacant urban site. The site had been abandoned for years, resulting in the natural growth of vegetation and the creation of important urban habitats, including trees.

Because the site lacked distinct habitats and was clearly a “small” site, the applicant was able to use the Small Sites Metric. This meant that they could complete the process themselves and not need to hire an ecological consultant, saving time, effort, and money for both themselves and the consultancy industry, which has highlighted that such small sites are not appropriate for dedicated specialists.

Working with the team at Joe’s Blooms, digital tools were used to quickly map the site and assess the biodiversity impact of their proposed works. This revealed—in a matter of minutes—the impact on the local habitats. Through iterative design changes, the applicant was able to explore various ways to minimise habitat disruption while incorporating grass into the garden to enhance biodiversity.

The process was rapid and efficient, and the final designs significantly increased biodiversity. All reports, metric sheets, and habitat plans were completed within hours, ensuring compliance and a positive ecological outcome.

Case Study 2: New Garages in Warwickshire

A small developer was tasked with designing new garages in Warwickshire. The site included sealed surfaces and some plant habitats, rendering it ineligible for a BNG exemption. In addition, there was a distinct lack of land on the site, raising serious questions over whether or not on-site gains would be viable. However, because they were using digital tools it was possible to identify on-site potential very quickly – both by conserving certain habitats and by amending the design to allow for those habitats to then be enhanced.

Having found a solution, the applicant revised their plans to replace unnecessary paving with grassland and trees, achieving a biodiversity gain of over 10% in compliance with the mitigation hierarchy. The updated designs were submitted promptly to the LPA, avoiding delays and additional costs while providing a sustainable and compliant solution.

Case Study 3: Agricultural Field and Storage Barn

A project involving an agricultural field with winter stubble required the construction of a storage barn. To offset the biodiversity impact, the team used digital tools to quickly map out the site and determine the impact of the new building. Here the issue was the lack of obvious enhancements that could be undertaken as the habitat type that was being built upon is one that lacks enhancement options.

However, this is again where digital tools came in useful – as it allowed the applicant to explore creation options. They realised that saplings could be integrated into the design of the new building and, using the GIS-based tools that are in our software, were able to experiment with strategically placing saplings to complement the existing ecological network—a simple process that resulted in a suitable solution being found in just a matter of minutes.

In all three cases, by using Joe’s Blooms’ digital tools, the applicants were able to quickly map their sites, explore various design options and find viable, proportionate on-site options that allowed them to maximise biodiversity gains. In each case, there was a “scary moment” where it seemed as if there was no obvious way to get the 10%, but within a matter of minutes, they were able to develop plans that not only met that target but also adhered to the mitigation hierarchy.

These examples highlight the versatility and effectiveness of the SSM when combined with our tools and support. With thousands of people using the tool across England and hundreds upon hundreds of successful uses of the BNG tool, it is clear that digital tools can make BNG extremely simple - and affordable - for small sites.

Of course, our tools are just one piece in the puzzle. As we say, there are lots of resources – both free and paid for – out there. But what is increasingly clear is that these resources can really make a difference. And that is vital. Small sites are the backbone of the new policy, and we mustn't give up on them, but instead work together to ensure that this vital part of BNG works. Our environment depends on it.

What do we know about the timing of the Future Homes Standard?

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 12:10:51 GMT

The run up to Christmas was busy with the Future Homes Hub providing a number of ‘evidence papers’ to inform the final Future Homes Standard, facilitating a roundtable meeting with Baroness Taylor, and activity through the FHS implementation board and working groups gearing up to help prepare the sector for the new standard. Thanks to all those involved.

Whilst the Government hasn’t yet announced the final detail of the standard or the timeline, wanting to consider how to ensure the standard is compatible with its wider objectives on housing, we thought it would be helpful to bring together what we do know about the standard from various statements Ministers and officials have made in recent weeks:

There will be a Future Homes Standard.

The new Government is broadly content with the scope of the FHS proposals that were set out in the public consultation so will be able to introduce the standard without reconsulting.

Homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.

The standard will include an element of rooftop solar to deliver cleaner energy to households and protect billpayers.

Then on the key question – when? Nothing definitive has yet been announced about the timetable, but we do know that:

May 2025 has consistently been the target date for the Home Energy Model (replacement of SAP) user interface being made available by the Governments HEM development team. We are keenly aware that laying of legislation and publication of the Approved Documents are of limited use without the HEM model being available.

The full Government process before publishing the final regulations, if the Minister were to make a decision today, will take about 5 months, taking into account finalising the Impact Assessment, internal scrutiny and Cabinet clearance.

Our working assumption, knowing that the Government is keen to publish the standard as soon as possible, is that it will be the summer, perhaps June or July. But that is only a guess.

We also know the Government is keen to give certainty as soon as possible so we are hopeful more will be said about the timing of the standard shortly.

I hope you had a great Christmas break – it will be a busy 2025!

2024: A year in review

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 09:14:57 GMT

As we approach the festive period we wanted to reflect on the enormous progress the new homes sector has made towards meeting climate and environmental goals, and by working together through the Hub.

Read our end of year update here

Future Homes Conference Breakout Speakers

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 15:06:43 GMT

Future Homes Standard Breakout

David Adams

Strategic Advisor, Future Homes Hub

David has a broad base of experience across manufacturing, construction and policy, engaging with initiatives that facilitate progress within the net zero home retrofit and new build arenas. He leads on operational energy/carbon for the Future Homes Hub and facilitates the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board and the eight FHS Implementation Groups. He was co-chair and author of the Ready for Zero report, which provided evidence for DLUHC’s FHS Consultation. David also supports the UKGBC and EEIG. He is a board member of Good Homes Alliance and National Retrofit Hub. Previously he co-owned Melius Homes, established to deliver ultra-low energy assured performance ‘Energiesprong’ domestic retrofits and new build homes. As technical director with Willmott Dixon Energy Services he delivered large scale low energy retrofit schemes and was general manager for Polyfoam, an insulation manufacturing business.

Zoe Guijarro

Principal Policy Manager, Citizens Advice Bureau

Zoe Guijarro has led the Net Zero Homes team since November 2021. The focus of the team’s work is to use evidence and insight from our work with consumers to facilitate greater involvement, inclusion and outcomes for consumers in the net zero transition. Zoe joined Citizens Advice in February 2015 to lead policy work on renewable and low carbon heat, microgeneration and community energy. Zoe has a wide range of strategic policy experience on energy and climate change having previously worked in both the public and NGO sectors on these issues. Before joining Citizens Advice Zoe worked as a Climate & Energy Specialist at WWF-UK leading their advocacy on energy efficiency, zero carbon

homes and low-carbon heat.

Danielle Michalska

Group Technical Innovation Manager,

Barratt Developments

Danielle’s background is in low carbon building design and building services. She joined the Business back in 2010. Danielle’s primary role is to develop and manage the Group Technical Specifications for Part G, L, F and O for England and Wales and Section 3 and 6 Scotland providing the Divisional offices with standard Group solutions and implementing technical strategies throughout the organisation.

Danielle participates in both internal and external research and development projects to share best practice across the industry, some of which included the industry leading AIMC4 Project and the Zero Carbon Hubs Design vs As Built Work Groups and more recently key R&D projects such as the ZED House and eHome2 at Salford university and working closely with the Future Homes Hub.

Neil Madgwick

Head of Connections Service Delivery,

UK Power Networks

Neil heads up the connections service delivery team at UK Power Networks, the distribution network operator for London, the South East and East of England. For the past ten years he and his team have been supporting house builders and developers connect to the electricity network as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

John Palmer

Deputy Director - New Build Standards and Performance, MHCLG

John leads the New Build Standards and Performance division within MHCLG which is responsible for the policy aspects of Building Regulations and, in particular, delivering the Future Homes and Buildings Standards. Prior to working in government, John’s experience included various aspects of sustainable construction, eventually specialising in Passivhaus. An engineer by background, John’s approach to leading technical teams was forged by an early career in the Royal Navy.

Trudie McCormick

Group Technical Development Director,

Keepmoat

Trudie leads her team in the design of low carbon homes and guidance to promote the principles of ‘Building for a Healthy Life’ in the delivery of sustainable developments. As a former Eco Homes / Code for Sustainable Homes assessor Trudie has been committed throughout her career to the continued evolution of low carbon and digital design processes embracing the principles of design for manufacture and on-site assembly techniques to improve efficiency, quality, and performance in use with a focus on achieving reduced running and maintenance costs to address fuel poverty.

Charlotte Lee

CEO, Heat Pumps Association

Charlotte joined the Heat Pump Association in April 2023 as their first Chief Executive. Having spent the previous 10 years at NAPIT, a UKAS accredited Certification Body for installers in the Building Services and Fabric sectors, culminating in leading their external affairs function, Charlotte has a wealth of knowledge in the practicalities and policy that surrounds the retrofitting of the UK housing stock, specifically relating the heat pumps. With a strong understanding of the vital role of the installer and the importance of consumer demand and industry collaboration in affecting change, Charlotte brings a valuable perspective to the panel debate.

Stephen Andrew

Group Technical Director, Taylor Wimpey

Stephen Andrew is a Group Technical Director for Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd based at the company’s Head office, and he has oversight of all technical matters from a Taylor Wimpey UK perspective including design, technical and engineering, innovation R&D, project management, cladding remediation and sustainability.

He joined the company in 2004 as a Design and Planning Executive and during his almost 20 years with Taylor Wimpey, Stephen has earned various promotions. He has also worked in a Special Projects Director and Land Director role. As the senior technical representative for Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd, Stephen regularly engages with, supports and often leads on a variety of external groups including NHBC, HBF, Homes for Scotland and the Future Homes Hub.

Embodied Carbon Breakout

Brian Johnson

Group Development Director, Miller Homes

Brian is Group Development Director of Miller Homes.

He joined Cala Homes in 1998 as Project Manager and worked his way up through the company to be Group Development Director, and part of the Cala Management Board. After 5 years in this role, he has recently moved to take on a new role at Miller Homes as Group Development Director, with responsibilities for business improvement around Construction and Sustainability. He remains industry chair of the Hub’s Whole Life Carbon Oversight group.

Megan Adlen

Group Sustainability Director, Travis Perkins

Megan is Group Sustainability Director at builders’ merchants, Travis Perkins PLC

She has led sustainability at the TP Group for 5 years and prior to that for 6 years at Ferguson plc.

Sustainability is her second career having begun with 8 years in commercial roles - and now she spends most of her time bringing those two agendas together, helping customers with new products, data and services.

Michael Keaveney

Director of Land and Development, Grainger PLC

Michael is Director of Land and Development for the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, Grainger PLC.

He joined Grainger in 2018 and has overall responsibility for the delivery and growth of Grainger’s build-to-rent development pipeline. With over 30 years of hands-on real estate and development experience, his expertise includes management of complex residential-led mixed use developments across the whole development lifecycle from identification and acquisition through to construction, marketing, operation and exit.

Jamie Bursnell

Group Head of Technical & Innovation, Bellway

With 20 years working in the energy sector, Jamie Bursnell has expertise in leading teams and businesses towards better energy management. As Head of Technical and Innovation at national housebuilder, Bellway, he looks after building regulations compliance and oversees the practical implications of the company’s sustainability strategy, including the industry-leading research with The University of Salford and other partners at Energy House 2.0 labs.

Elaine Toogood

Director of Architecture and Sustainable Design,

Mineral Products Association

Elaine is Director of Architecture & Sustainable Design at the Mineral Products Association and The Concrete Centre. She provides technical advice and guidance to other construction professionals on the specification, design and use of concrete and masonry for sustainable construction. With nearly 30 years’ experience, her expertise includes the circular economy, property level flood resilience and whole life carbon. Elaine contributes to many working groups and technical committees related to environmental sustainability, including the UK Concrete Industry’s Sustainable Construction Strategy and she is chair of the MPA Housing Forum.

Tim Den Dekker

Associate, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Tim is an associate architect at the sustainability pioneering architecture practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. He co-founded Part Z, the construction industry’s proposal to regulate embodied carbon.

At LETI he led the work on opinion pieces dealing with whole life carbon and circular economy metrics.

Dan Neasham

Head of Sustainability, Future Homes Hub

Dan is Head of Homes and Sustainability at the Future Homes Hub . An engineer by training and a specialist in the provision of sustainable building services

He spent equal stints working in consultancy and client-side, for a large urban property developer; before joining the Future Homes Hub team last year.

He now heads up work on the sector Sustainability Framework, along with leading working groups on Future Homes Standard implementation.

Water Efficiency and Reuse Breakout

Jean Spencer

Independent Chair, Water Smart Communities

Jean is the Chair of the Independent Programme Board for the Enabling Water Smart Community project, seeking to develop integrated new approaches between water management, community engagement and practices and housing development to unlock new opportunities for cross-sector delivery.

Jean is also the Independent Chair of the National Framework for Water Resources, assessing the needs of all water users and the environment for the next twenty five and fifty years, while facing the challenges of climate change, growth and resilience to the increased risk of droughts. Jean has been the Water Sector for over thirty years, latterly, until 2018, as an Executive Director of Anglian Water.

David Robins

Director of Central Technical Services, Places for People

David Robins has been in the construction industry for 42 years, first starting his career in Architectural practice as and architectural technician. David moved into the housebuilding sector in 2000 with roles as a technical manager at Talyor Wimpey and CALA before becoming technical director at Crest Nicholson. David has been at Places for People for the last four years as director of central technical services, providing group technical support to the regional development business. This ranges from managing the business standard house type portfolio, specification and advising on upcoming regulations. David has also been an actively involved with the Future Homes Hub on number of the projects

George Warren

Integrated Water Manager, Anglian Water

George is the Integrated Water Manager at Anglian Water, where he looks to bring together water resources, wastewater and environmental planning to identify more holistic water management opportunities across the region. He currently leads on the delivery of the Ofwat Innovation funded Enabling Water Smart Communities project which looks to identify and address the barriers to delivering integrated water management within new housing development. Prior to joining Anglian Water in 2021, George worked in Local Government (Greater London Authority and the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham) and consultancy both in the UK (Buro Happold and Capita) and in Australia (AECOM).

Peter Lacey

Project Manager, Duchy of Cornwall

In a career spanning over 25 years Peter has worked across a range of construction sectors predominantly in the delivery of mixed residential schemes in London and the Southeast where he gained main board experience as a technical and regional director.  Joining the Duchy in 2018, he now manages the final stages of the 2,700 home Poundbury project in Dorset, and co-ordinates the approach to achieving nett zero carbon in the construction and operation of Duchy developments by 2032, a target that is applied to the plans for the Duchy’s 2,500 home urban extension of Faversham, Kent – a landscape led masterplan incorporating innovations extending to water and energy management at a community scale.

Lutz Johnnen

Managing Director, Aquality

Lutz Johnen is the Managing Director of Aquality Trading & Consulting Ltd., a company specialised in

designing, supplying, and maintaining non-potable water systems such as rainwater harvesting and

greywater recycling systems. The company has been involved in prestigious projects such as the Shard,

Westfield Shopping Centre, Bloomberg London HQ, the Southbank Place, and the Kings Cross Development. Lutz is also on the steering committee for the Anglian Water lead project “Enabling Water Smart Communities” which is looking into new ways of introducing water efficiency in housing developments.

Nature Recovery Breakout

Helen Nyul

Group Head of Biodiversity, Barratt Developments

Helen is an Ecologist with over 20 years experience of working on business and biodiversity strategies. Currently as Group Head of Biodiversity at Barratt Redrow she manages the 10 year Partnership with RSPB and helps all of the Divisions meet the BNG requirement, which was committed to 12 months ahead of regulation in England. Previously she worked with Fauna and Flora International managing partnerships with mining and oil and gas companies to establish and implement biodiversity strategies.

Emma Toovey

Chief Ecology Officer, Environment Bank

Emma Toovey – Chief Ecology Officer, Environment Bank Managing a team of ecological and land management specialists, Emma ensures technical excellence across Environment Bank’s Habitat Bank projects. With a dedication to high-quality nature restoration, she ensures that sound ecological principles and technical integrity underpin every decision Environment Bank makes as a business. After playing a leading role in the development of Environment Bank’s Biodiversity Net Gain product, Emma has been instrumental in establishing our newest natural capital asset class, Nature Shares. Emma has two decades of ecological consultancy experience across diverse industries, working with a range of stakeholders, including landowners, developers and planning authorities.

Miles Lewis

Director of Sustainability, Clarion Housing

Miles heads up sustainability across Clarion Housing Group and is responsible for co-creating and delivering the Group sustainability strategy and targets for the UK’s largest housing association. This includes the establishment of the organisation’s strategic approaches to reach Net Zero Carbon, enabling the recovery of nature and building resilience to climate-related risks. Prior to Clarion, Miles was Head of Sustainability at Lendlease, responsible for supporting the Development and Investment Management businesses in Europe, supporting the multi-billion-pound pipeline of major urban regeneration projects to develop their long-term sustainability strategies, as well as authoring the Lendlease Europe Roadmap to Absolute Zero Carbon.

David Sutherland

Environment Bill Readiness Manager, Buckinghamshire Council

A charted town planner by training David joined Buckinghamshire County Council in 1994. He became Head of Planning and Environment at Buckinghamshire Council in 2015 until the formation of the new Unitary Council in April 2020 where he then moved into the role of Head of Climate Change and Environment. He now leads the authorities preparations for all things nature recovery in relation to the Environment Act. David is also active with ADEPT being a member of their Environment Board.

Robin Waddell

Business Development Director, Greenbelt

With over 25 years of experience, Robin W. leads with expertise in the long-term stewardship of green infrastructure on new residential developments. As a key figure at Greenbelt Group, the UK’s leading specialist in this field, Robin plays a pivotal role in delivering high-quality management and maintenance solutions for public open spaces and a wide array of community amenities. Managing the needs and expectations of housebuilders, homeowners and many different stakeholders, Greenbelt is developing a deep understanding of the management requirements of green spaces.

Sustainable New Towns and Places Breakout

Andrew Taylor

Group Planning Director, Vistry

Vistry Group which includes Bovis, Countryside and Linden Homes - develops private, affordable and privately rented homes through partnerships with landowners, registered providers, institutional investors and local authorities, with a focus on urban regeneration schemes, landscape led developments and new settlements.

Before joining Countryside/Vistry, Andrew was Head of Planning for a developer in the Eastern Counties and prior to that spent over 18 years in planning authorities in the southeast of England.

Andrew is a member of the RTPI’s Board of Trustees, General Assembly and Chairs the English Policy Committee. He is also a member of the HBF National Planning committee, the Policy and Technical Committee of the Land, Planning and Development Federation and Women in Planning Advisory board member.

James Scott

Group Director of Strategy and Planning,

 Urban and Civic

James is the Group Director of Strategy and Planning and a founder member of master developer Urban&Civic. Prior to Urban&Civic, James specialised in planning and environmental law and was part of the senior executive team of Lend Lease Europe with responsibility for risk management. Having previously served as a non-executive director of East Thames housing association and sat on the Development Committee of L&Q, James is also a senior advisor to Dorrington PLC and a non-executive of Natural England.

Sebastian Loyn

Director of Planning and Development,

YTL Developments

Sebastian has spent a career at some of the property industry’s most innovative developers before joining YTL Developments in 2017.

He now leads the team responsible for Brabazon, one of the most exciting regeneration projects in the country. He is also a Trustee of Design West, which champions quality design and placemaking across the South West.

Ashley Spearing

Managing Director, Berkeley

Ashley Spearing is a Managing Director of Development and Regeneration at Berkeley Venture (part of the Berkeley Group). Ashley has had a 10-year career at Berkeley Group, with various roles across Land, Planning and Development. Ashley specialises in unlocking complex urban regeneration sites to create welcoming and sustainable mixed use neighbourhoods.

Steve Quartermain

Director, Quartermain Ltd

After a career in Local government , during which time he managed all front line services including an award winning Planning and community planning team , Steve became Chief Planner for the government in 2008. Stepping down in 2020 after 12 years Steve could reflect back on a period that saw the planning system transformed; from the NPPF , the planning guidance suite and the design agenda. He championed the profession and pressed for greater diversity. A former President of the Planning Officers Society he was an active RTPI member during his Local Government time. He now has a varied portfolio of activities, including supporting the University of Kent,and giving strategic advice and support to Town Legal, hgh planning consultancy, the LPDF and London Strategic Land. He also sits on the planning committee at OPDC

Rob Boughton

CEO, Thakeham

Rob is a Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thakeham. His passion for placemaking has driven a career in property and housebuilding that spans almost 30 years.  He founded the company in 2003, and his focus on innovation, infrastructure, community and collaboration has positioned Thakeham as an industry leader. Rob is a champion for meaningful change within the sector. He is a founding member of the HBF’s Future Homes Taskforce and Thakeham was the first housebuilder in the UK to sign the SME Climate Commitment, part of the UN’s Race To Zero Campaign. As CEO and part-owner, Rob’s role is to set the company aims and mission. To provide unified leadership, setting and shaping the strategic goals, objectives and delivery for the short and long term. He is also responsible for promoting the business externally and overseeing growth plans.

Victoria Hills

Chief Executive, RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute)

Victoria Hills is Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute with over 26 years in senior roles in planning, transport, regeneration and organisational leadership. Working for all three Mayors of London, she latterly led the UK’s largest regeneration project at Old Oak, establishing up the Old Oak and Park Royal Mayoral Development Corporation.

Amy Burbidge

Head of Master Development & Design, Homes England

Amy is an urban designer and masterplanner at Homes England, where she heads the Design and Master Development team which is a small team working across England, focused on improving design quality of Homes England’s projects and acting as client support to the regional teams who manage the projects. Her particular interests range from strategic urban design at a settlement scale, to detailed street design, but are all about better placemaking for happier, healthier places. Amy also sits on the Cambridge Quality Panel. She is by background an archaeologist and historic conservation specialist before moving into the world of urban design and masterplanning.

BNG Process Flow Diagram Updated

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:54:31 GMT

The Hub’s BNG Process Flow Diagram Update

The Future Homes Hub’s Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Process Flow diagram has been updated in collaboration with PAS.

Following BNG becoming mandatory for large sites on 12th February 2024, and 2nd April 2024 for small sites, all planning applications submitted now need to comply with BNG unless exempt. Homebuilders must demonstrate that development increases biodiversity by at least 10%, supporting wildlife habitation and access to nature across the new homes sector.

The objective of BNG is to provide new homes for the people who need them while protecting and improving nature at the same time.

Why the Process Flow?

The Process Flow provides guidance on the steps required to implement BNG on residential projects of all sizes and complexities. It encompasses the greater understanding that the sector now has of the process, terminology and information requirements at each stage.

The steps within the Process Flow are intended to be used as the basis for parties to apply their project-specific flows, including any evolving internal good practices for implementing BNG.

The Process Flow is available to download here .

If you would like to provide any feedback then we’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch .

Future Homes Hub CEO Summer Update 2024

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:14:14 GMT

Now that the Government has broken up for summer recess, I’m writing to update you on Future Homes Hub activity to support the new homebuilding community to meet our shared climate, nature and sustainability objectives in line with the Hub’s business plan for 2024/5. I also share reflections on what will change in coming months as we align our work to the rapidly changing Government landscape.

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive, Future Homes Hub

In the newsletter:

Future Homes Hub and the new Government
Net Zero roadmap for new homes
Future Homes Standard
Biodiversity Net Gain
Embodied carbon
Homes for Nature
Water readiness and resilience
Stewardship and Adoption
Metrics
Valuation of sustainable homes
Future Homes Conference, 4 December: *early bird to end on 16 August*
Low carbon demonstrator digest
Industry visits
SME liaison group
Higher density liaison group
Members platform and discounts

New Demonstrator Digest Shares Key Learnings for Builders Embracing Low Carbon Homes

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 12:00:27 GMT

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Future Homes Conference 2024: First Speakers Announced

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:30:58 GMT

Join us on the 4th of December at the QEII Conference Centre, London for this year’s Future Homes Conference 2024: "Future Homes, One Plan: making exemplary development the norm."

The conference will take stock of how we can work together to build high quality sustainable homes at the scale the country needs - reviewing progress, challenges, and solutions. Deep dive discussions will cover the Future Homes Standard, nature recovery, water resilience, embodied carbon and sustainable placemaking.

We are delighted to announce our initial line up of speakers:

Chris Stark Head of the new Mission Control centre responsible for leading the Government’s Clean Power mission
Beccy Speight Chief Executive of RSPB
Catherine Adams Director of Building Systems and Net Zero at MHCLG
Greg Jackson Chief Executive at Octopus Energy
David Thomas Chair of the Future Homes Hub and Chief Executive at Barratt Developments

Watch out for further announcements.

At the conference we will delve into how to support the Government’s target to deliver 1.5 million new homes alongside achieving the UK’s ambitious net zero and environmental goals. Network with key stakeholders – homebuilders, local and national Government, HA’s, industry and the supply chain – to tackle these challenges head-on.  Gain practical advice and insights through specialist breakouts on the Future Homes Standard, embodied carbon, water efficiency, nature recovery and sustainable placemaking - discussing policy, challenges and solutions to delivering well-designed, climate-resilient homes. 

Early bird tickets are available until Friday, the 16th of August, so don't miss out on this opportunity to shape the future of sustainable housing: Future Homes Conference 2024 (house-builder.co.uk)

Future Homes Conference 2024: Key sponsors announced to drive sustainable homes agenda

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 12:41:08 GMT

We are excited to announce the key sponsors for our upcoming Future Homes Conference 2024 on Wednesday, the 4th of December: NHBC, Lloyds Bank, and Homes England. Our sponsors recognise the power of partnership. They share the Hub's vision of a future where homes are well-designed, climate resilient and environmentally responsible.

"We are thrilled to partner with NHBC, Lloyds, and Homes England for the Future Homes Conference 2024," Ed Lockhart, CEO at the Future Homes Hub. "Their combined expertise will be instrumental in driving forward the conversation on sustainable housing solutions across the UK."  

The Future Homes Conference 2024 brings together the brightest minds in housebuilding, government, and sustainability to tackle the critical issues facing the industry. With the UK striving for net zero and a commitment to high-quality, sustainable homes, collaboration is key.

The theme for the Conference is “Future Homes, One Plan: making exemplary development the norm” and is designed to: Inspire by generating excitement about the future of housebuilding; Inform by equipping senior stakeholders with insights on key challenges and solutions; and Connect by providing ample networking opportunities and a platform in which to build partnerships. 

Take advantage of the Early Bird prices , book your ticket now for the Future Homes Conference 2024 and be part of shaping the future of sustainable housing: Future Homes Conference 2024 (house-builder.co.uk)

Why it's more important than ever to create Homes for Nature

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 23:31:51 GMT

It's timely that the launch of the Homes for Nature commitment coincides with Swift Awareness Week.

The red-listed swift, whose numbers in the UK have halved between 1995 and 2017, has become a symbol of the urgent need to protect and restore our declining wildlife populations.

This initiative, led by the Future Homes Hub, is a positive step towards reversing that alarming trend, which has seen the UK become one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

The statistics paint a grim picture: pollinator populations and diversity, essential for our food supply, are in steep decline; hedgehog numbers have dropped significantly; bird populations are dwindling and habitats are deteriorating. The soundscape that is nature is growing fainter.

Yet, there's hope. The Restore Nature Now march, which drew thousands of people to London’s streets last weekend, underscores public concern and recognition of nature's value and the urgent need for action.

That's why I'm delighted that 21 leading housebuilders, who between them build more than 90,000 homes a year, have united to develop and sign up to the Homes for Nature commitment.

The commitment highlights the vital role housebuilders can play in creating sustainable, nature-friendly spaces. Often seen as part of the problem, housebuilders can be the driving force behind solutions that make a real impact.

The Homes for Nature commitment targets all new development proposals from September 2024 and includes:

One bird-nesting brick or box for every new home built
Hedgehog highways on all developments as standard
Recommendation to include bat roosts, insect bricks, nature-friendly sustainable drainage systems and landscaping that supports pollinators
Annual reporting of progress and reviews for at least 5 years

Developed by the On-Site Nature Measures Working Group, convened by the Future Homes Hub, we are now working on the technical guidance with input from organisations such as the RSPB, Action for Swifts, the Hedgehog Street campaign, and the NHBC.

Some may view this as being mere lip service. However, as well as going beyond Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, it's important to acknowledge the extensive work that has gone into creating the commitment over the last nine months.

We are committed to following up with signatories, while open and regular reporting will help to ensure these promises translate into real-world changes.

The impact of these efforts could be profound. By providing more nesting sites for birds, we can help species like the swift recover. Creating access points through gardens and open spaces will help hedgehogs find food, safety, and mates. The vision is a future where nature thrives alongside people, becoming the norm rather than the exception.

This is a call to action. If you work for a housebuilder that has not yet signed up, encourage them to make the commitment to build Homes for Nature. At an individual level, install bird boxes at home or ensure your garden is accessible to hedgehogs. Whether it’s a window box or a whole garden, plant for with those amazing pollinators; every small action counts.

Together, let’s create a future where both people and nature flourish.

View the Homes for Nature commitment .

Building Greener Futures: Tackling Embodied Carbon in New Homes

Tue, 21 May 2024 03:15:19 GMT

The Hub caught up with David Robins, Director of Central Technical Service at Places for People on how the sector is approaching changes to carbon emissions and the launch of the new Whole Life Carbon Conventions for New Homes and Tool

At COP26, Government committed the UK to reducing carbon emissions by 68% by 2030. The timer was set: eight years to make a difference.

We’re now two years down and in addition to skills shortages, the industry has faced financial constraints, market slowdowns and supply chain delays. Despite these challenges, housebuilding has made progress in understanding its carbon footprint.

What is whole life carbon?

It used to be the case that most of the carbon footprint of a new home over its lifetime would be from operational emissions related to the energy used by the occupants.

With the increasing thermal performance of new homes over recent times, and as the grid continues to decarbonise, the focus is beginning to shift away from operational carbon and towards embodied carbon of construction materials – the emissions associated with manufacturing products and assembling them into a complete building, followed by the maintenance and eventual deconstruction of the building.

Embodied and operational carbon together make up the whole life carbon (WLC) of the product, which is the important thing to be able to measure and reduce.

At Places for People, we’re committed to delivering thriving communities for now and future customers and therefore understanding our whole life carbon footprint is at the forefront of our agenda.

Introducing the Whole Life Carbon Conventions and Tool

Today the Future Homes Hub launches the Whole Life Carbon Conventions for New Homes, which will help tackle one of the biggest challenges that we’ve seen in the past few years due to a lack of an approved national methodology; the inconsistency in tools and interpretations that has led to an uneven playing field in conducting assessments.

Alongside this, the Hub have launched the first version of its Whole Life Carbon Assessment Tool for testing. In short, the tool allows housebuilders to quickly calculate embodied carbon by having a number of construction build-ups and values already built in the tool, giving a consistent embodied carbon measurement.

This means, for the first time, we can quickly calculate how much carbon our homes will produce over their lifecycle and be able to compare with our peers, like for like.

As we deepen our approach to reducing emissions we rapidly need much better information on where the carbon emissions arise for different build types. Only then can we set credible targets that we can embrace with confidence.

Collaboration across the sector

Along with a long list of other homebuilders, product manufacturers and whole life carbon experts, we have been involved in the Future Homes Hub working groups that developed the Whole life carbon conventions and tool.

Although we’ve reached this milestone, the work for these groups will continue – they will be reconvened to review any new or improved data/reference points, consider whether the method needs updating, and add further build-ups and functionality as the tool is developed.

How could this influence the design process?

Calculating the embodied carbon can be time consuming and expensive so having the free tool will mean that everyone can calculate the embodied carbon on developments at an early stage. For us, this is invaluable, as we will be able to make adjustments to the design or specification quickly and check the impact it has on the embodied carbon calculations as the project progresses through the concept, planning and detailed design stages. This will open up a world of possibilities and start to influence the design choices we make along with the materials and manufactures we select.

We will be asking each of our teams to test the tool on our house types at each site over the coming weeks – and providing feedback to the Hub to help make the next version of the tool even better.

What next?

Being able to measure and report embodied and whole life carbon emissions consistently is a vital first step on the environmental journey that Places for People and the whole industry needs to take.

Looking ahead, for industry it is important that manufacturers and supply chains are also fully part of the process. Places for People will be working with our supply chain and manufacturers to raise awareness of embodied carbon and our shared responsibility to reduce the embodied and whole life carbon of the homes we build.

We also need to agree to educate our professionals with the knowledge and skills required to accurately assess and reduce embodied carbon; continue to innovate in construction techniques and government need to provide clear policy frameworks, grants and subsidies that support the sector to deliver sustainable house building for generations to come.

There is work to do, but this is an important step in unlocking the full potential of embodied carbon and meeting that COP26 commitment.

View the Whole Life Carbon Conventions for New Homes and download the Whole Life Carbon Tool

Future Homes Hub Water Efficiency Report

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 04:00:47 GMT

Jean Spencer

Independent Chair of the National Framework for Water Resources

Chair of the Independent Programme Board of the Enabling Water Smart Communities project

John Slaughter

Director of Industry Affairs at Home Builders Federation

Strategic Advisor at Future Homes Hub

Water is essential for life, but in a country like ours – famed across the world for having a rainy climate – its supply and availability are often taken for granted.

That should certainly not be the case now and for the future.

The latest estimate for England from the Environment Agency is that if we do nothing, “by 2050, we are looking at a shortfall of nearly 5 billion litres of water per day between the sustainable water supplies available and the expected demand”. That is a sobering statistic – such a supply gap would represent more than a third of our current 14 billion litres per day water use.

Historically, the greatest pressure on supply has been in the South East of the country, reflecting both the density of population and the comparatively low average rainfall. The Environment Agency’s latest assessment shows, however, that by 2050 all regions of the country would face a water supply deficit if we do not take action to manage and reduce per capita demand, tackle leakage and develop new sources of supply – in part to reduce the current rate of abstraction which is placing unwelcome pressure on the natural environment.

We also face a serious cumulative under supply of housing of course, and the need to build more homes to meet the requirements of our growing population is an important factor in considering what we have to do to meet our looming water supply challenge.

It is against this background that, acting on a request from Defra to assist it in developing a roadmap for water efficiency improvements in new homes, the Future Homes Hub brought together home builders, water companies, manufacturers, trade, consumer and professional bodies to look at what contribution new development could make to increasing water efficiency in the years ahead.

This work informed the high-level roadmap for water efficiency that was included in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan and the Plan for Water, both published in 2023, but there is also a need to explore in more detail what can be achieved in new development and to set out the enabling steps that need to be taken for potential gains in water efficiency to be realised.

The Future Homes Hub’s report “ Water Ready: A report to inform HM Government's roadmap for water efficient new homes ” which has just been launched pulls together this more detailed analysis and suggests the steps that could be taken under Part G of the Building Regulations to increase water efficiency requirements for new homes over the next 10 years.

At its heart, the report proposes that the Government should move quickly to set out a timeline for changes in Building Regulations in 2025. 2030 and 2035 which would cumulatively deliver a significant improvement in the water efficiency of new homes compared to today. The report also proposes a structure for higher levels of water efficiency in areas of greater water supply stress. And it is clear in its message that minimum regulatory requirements should be set on a fittings-based approach to provide greater confidence that the water savings sought will be achieved in practice.

Providing a clear timeline and direction of travel on water efficiency will be vital for both developers and the supply chain to plan and gear up for achieving higher standards at scale, but the report also underlines the importance of bringing consumers with us on the journey if change is to be successful and sustained. Solutions need to be both technically robust and consumer friendly and the policy framework should embed these twin objectives.

Finally, the work brought together in the report summarises both the potential for innovation and the current obstacles to its realisation. The report sets out many practical and detailed recommendations on steps that need to be taken to optimise the scope for successful change, including the need for new and improved technical standards and skills.

This is a big and important agenda, but with the will to work collaboratively that has already been shown through the Hub’s work we believe we will be able to move forward together effectively.

Mandatory BNG on small sites & the launch of BNG Online

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 08:06:21 GMT

Here we speak with Alice Davidson, Group Senior Planning Manger at Vistry Group about todays implementation of mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) for smaller sites, coinciding with the launch of our BNG Online - in partnership with the Planning Advisory Service.

I am delighted to be collaborating through the Future Homes Hub with Local Planning Authorities, Natural England, the Planning Advisory Service and other house builders, to input to a project collating essential biodiversity net gain (BNG) guidance, best practice and resources - all in one place.

‘BNG online’ is a fantastic resource that will be helpful for anyone needing to consider BNG. The version launching today is an initial ‘beta’ version and therefore thoughts and questions are welcomed.

The aim of BNG online is to support everyone in the sector who will be impacted by BNG, but in particular to support Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and SMEs that may not otherwise have the resources to pull together the relevant information. There are so many different stages of the development process that need to consider BNG, and ‘ BNG online’ sets out what a developer or an LPA needs to do at each stage.

It is so important to consider BNG at the very earliest stage to understand the impact that it might have on developing the site and what opportunities it provides. BNG can be delivered on or off-site and there are different considerations depending upon which option is selected. ‘ BNG online ’ seeks to clearly set out what the requirements are and to provide helpful best practice examples and templates. As a developer working across the country, delivering much needed new homes, promoting best practice sharing between LPAs and, hopefully, consistency in LPA approaches is critically important.

As a responsible housebuilder, creating places people love is at the heart of what we do at Vistry and we see the benefits that BNG offers, including enhanced open space and extra habitat creation. Our preference will always be to deliver BNG on site - where possible - and our bigger housebuilding projects offer opportunities to deliver these enhancements at significant scale.

Working as part of the team to prepare the content for BNG online has been an invaluable process as it has helped to bring together differing perspectives in terms of BNG and how different outcomes and objectives can be delivered. It has also been really important to me to forge these relationships across the sector. At Vistry our partnerships model is fundamental to our approach and through this we bring together a range of stakeholders including partners, investors, landowners, housing associations, government bodies, local authorities and the community. Collaboration with the public, private and third sector is an essential part of this approach and therefore projects such as the ‘ BNG online ’ project provide invaluable insight and connection.

Visit BNG Online .

Read the PAS blog on smaller sites and BNG Online launch .

Visit Defra's BNG page.

Meeting update: Future Homes Standard Implementation Board

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:19:58 GMT

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) Implementation Board met for the second time last week. The Board, co-chaired by Catherine Adams (DLUHC) and Matthew Pratt (Redrow) brings together industry leaders, key stakeholders and relevant government bodies to facilitate the successful delivery of Future Homes Standard 2025 by anticipating, identifying and monitoring the key issues and actions required.

Three implementation groups have already been set up on fabric, consumer and heat pumps and the Board discussed the key challenges that these areas must address. In addition and with the FHS consultation recently published, the Board agreed the other key areas that must succeed and instructed the Future Homes Hub to create five additional implementation groups on:

• grid capacity & energy flexibility,

• the Home Energy Model,

• ventilation,

• heat networks and

• building performance evaluation.

We will be inviting expressions of interest to join these new groups shortly.

In addition, the Hub is collecting information about the vast array of tests, trails and pilot work being undertaken by homebuilders across the country in preparation for the Future Homes Standard and sharing associated case studies . Please let us know about the projects you are working on to help share lessons learned.

Meeting update: Future Homes CEO Council

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:00:51 GMT

Council conclusions

The Council endorsed further development of the sector’s roadmap focussing on Net Zero, nature and water during 2024. The Council also asked the Hub to work more closely with the Local Government community to achieve greater consistency in the journey to higher standards, and to join up with the Sustainable Markets Initiative Low Carbon Housing Task Force.
The Council welcomed the release of the Future Homes Standard consultation, highlighted key issues for the consultation and the implementation board and identified further areas for collaboration including: accelerating information sharing, communicating the benefits of, and how to use, heat pumps in newbuild homes, collating performance data across the sector and using collective buying power to support SMEs.
The Council recognised that as the ‘in use’ carbon emissions from new homes rapidly reduce through the 2021 changes in Part L and the Future Homes Standard 2025, embodied carbon will become responsible for the vast majority of emissions. The Council therefore endorsed the direction of travel in the Embodied and Whole Life Carbon implementation plan, including the move to consistent measurement, sharing of data and mainstream measurement, and the Hub will propose next steps in the July Council.
The Council recognised the substantial benefit the industry will deliver through Biodiversity Net Gain and asked the Hub to consider what further action can be taken to support SMEs and local authorities with the introduction of BNG including through software tools.
The Council recognised the potential of new homes to help reverse the decline in certain red list species and endorsed an industry led scheme to rapidly introduce nature promotion measures on new developments focussing initially on nest boxes for swifts and hedgehog highways.
The Council recognised that good communications is vital to sustained progress on the sustainability agenda and bringing people with us, and is an area for collaboration. The Hub will consider the potential for tracking and reporting on the total performance of the sector.
The Council asked the Hub to consider what resources would be needed to help support development of solutions to Nutrient Neutrality.

Find out more about the CEO Council

The Future Homes Standard Consultation has landed

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:10:32 GMT

The Future Homes Hub caught up with David Adams, Strategic Advisor for the Hub, to hear about the latest Government update on the Future Homes Standard consultation.

Great to see the details of the proposed Future Homes Standard just published . At nearly a dozen main documents, if you are really keen, I guess that novel at Christmas won’t now get read!

So, what are the initial take-aways?

For those that were involved with, or have read the Ready for Zero report , the easiest way to describe the ambition the Government are consulting on is either Contender Specification 2 (CS2) (Option 1 in the consultation) or CS1 (Option 2 in the consultation). Government haven’t stated which they prefer.

The way the target performance for a particular home is calculated has not changed, it uses the ‘notional’ specification approach. The Governments Option 1 is broadly an existing (2021) notional home but with the boiler replaced with a heat pump. Option 2 is the same but without PV and without Waste Water Heat recovery. Of course, this notional building just defines the target level – it does not mean you must use this combination of technologies and specifications. Without modelling in the ‘Home Energy Model’ (HEM), the new name for SAP, it is impossible to know which combination of other technologies will also comply. Homes connected to new communal and district heat networks have a different services specification within the notional building.

The introduction of the HEM is significant. HEM is not just an updated version of the energy compliance model we are currently using, SAP10, but a completely new modelling tool. To more accurately calculate the energy use, allow the assessment of peak load and model smart technologies, HEM breaks the year into half-hourly chunks, rather than monthly under current SAP. As we know from the past, the devil is in the detail. HEM is a separate consultation and there is a consultation version of HEM available to test some house types and feedback. It should be noted that the user interface is basic and not reflective of the expected final version in 2025.

The compliance metrics for Part L remain the same as 2021, the dwelling and target: emission rate, primary energy rate and fabric energy efficiency rate still feature. One difference, however, is the proposal to use ‘local’ weather for compliance – rather than a national weather assumption used currently. This change will have implications that need to be explored.

In Part F, the ventilation Approved Document there is a proposed competent person scheme requirement, as well as additional commissioning checks of mechanical systems.

Having been introduced in December 2021, evidence is requested about Part O to help identify areas which might be prioritised for review.

Other areas where feedback is requested include the performance testing of new homes and the potential of a Future Homes Standard ‘Brand’. Input received would inform the development of firm proposals which would be consulted on in 2024 ahead of implementation in 2026.

There is recognition that there may be exceptional circumstances where the standards proposed cannot reasonably be applied - past experience has shown flats over garages can struggle and may be an example. It is proposed for the local authority or the Building Safety Regulator to decide if relaxation is appropriate.

Either a 6 or 12 month period is proposed between the laying down of the legislation and the date it comes into force with a 12 month transitional period, as used for Part L 2021. What isn’t clear is what date the legislation is likely to be laid down – maybe I missed it. The new definition of ‘commencement’ is being adopted and the regulations proposed to apply to all new homes including those that were exempted from the 2021 standards.

By the looks of it, our Ready for Zero report , which many of you contributed to, has helpfully informed this consultation.

The clock on the consultation period of 90 days has started ticking. A good place to start to understand the proposals would be to attend our FHS2025 Q&A session on Monday 18th December. The Future Homes Hub will give an overview and then the floor will be open for initial observations and questions, with DLUHC officials in attendance.

The FHS Q&A is only the start, over the coming weeks the Hub will be working with housebuilders and others in the sector to understand and help communicate the implications of these changes. With a total of about 40 documents, if you include all the HEM technical documents, this will be very much a collaborative approach.

We welcome your input and views and will do our best to share the collective insights gained. We encourage everyone to respond to the consultation.

Matthew Pratt, CEO of Redrow takes up role of co-chair of the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:14:04 GMT

The Future Homes Hub caught up with Matthew Pratt, CEO of Redrow, to hear about his new role of Co-Chair of the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board.

It’s a privilege to be taking up the role of co-chair of the Future Homes Standard implementation board alongside Catherine Adams, helping to collaboratively drive vital change through our industry.

Transitioning to new, low carbon forms of energy is something I’ve always been passionate about and since becoming CEO of Redrow in 2020, we’ve worked hard to respond to the climate crisis as one of our highest business priorities.

This culminated in our announcement in January 2023 that all upcoming Redrow developments would feature air source heat pumps, two years ahead of the Future Homes Standard deadline. I felt strongly that by making this change now, rather than incremental steps in the build-up to 2025, it would ensure our homes are future proofed for customers and it’s been very encouraging to see such a positive reception to the announcement.

We have seen the demand for energy-efficient features from homebuyers increase substantially in recent years. In fact, research we conducted recently shows that three quarters (74%) of UK adults admit that living in an energy efficient home is more important to them now compared to a year ago, while 83% said they would be willing to pay more for an energy efficient home*.

It’s worth remembering, of course, that new homes are already extremely energy efficient in terms of the fabric of the home compared to those on the second-hand market. Continuing to build on these gains and working towards zero-carbon homes is a natural next step as the industry continues to look for ways to innovate and improve our homes for customers and plan for the long term.

This also provides further advantage over the second-hand home market in terms of customer appeal, by helping new home purchasers to future-proof their heating, enjoy even more energy efficiency gains and significantly reduce their carbon emissions.

However, no individual business can achieve the pace of change required alone, so we must work together across the whole of our value chain to make our shared journey to a net zero future a reality. It is here that the work of the Future Homes Hub and its new implementation board will prove so vital in preparing the ground for the transition to Future Homes Standard, bringing together industry leaders, key stakeholders and relevant government bodies to anticipate, identify and monitor the key issues and actions required for successful implementation.

The Future Homes Standard represents a significant and early milestone in England’s pathway to net zero, with substantial implications for how new homes are built. Successful implementation is therefore critical for the future residents, the homebuilding sector and Government.

I’d like to close by thanking everyone who has helped to get the Future Homes Hub where it is today, and I very much look forward to engaging with members at all levels over the coming months as part of my new role as co-chair of the implementation board.

Read our Future Homes Standard: Ready for Zero report .

*Opinium survey of 2,000 UK adults - December 2022

About Future Homes Standard Implementation Board

The Hub is now setting up the Future Homes Standard Implementation board to enable the industry, Government and all relevant stakeholders to work together over the next three years on delivery of the Future Homes Standard – expected this month - at scale across the sector, supported by expert working groups. The Board will anticipate, identify and monitor the key issues and actions required to secure successful delivery of Future Homes Standard 2025.

Future Homes Leadership Council launches

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 16:33:48 GMT

The Council which met for the first time on 29 June, comprises CEOs from a cross section of the country’s homebuilders including those of the largest eight homebuilders to small companies at the forefront of building zero carbon sustainable homes. Its purpose is to help lead the sector’s rapid journey to being zero carbon and nature positive. The 2021 regulation changes reduce operational carbon by over 30%, Biodiversity Net Gain to be introduced in November 2023 means all sites will improve biodiversity by 10%, the 2025 Future Homes Standard will make all new homes zero carbon ready, the water efficiency roadmap sets the pathway to reduced water consumption, the embodied and Whole Life Carbon implementation plan prepares the sector for deeper emissions reduction, and so on.

The actions from the first council meeting are to ramp up sharing, further develop the roadmap including where additional quick action can be taken and develop the sector’s communications to bring everyone on the journey. The largest ten companies have agreed substantially increased financial contributions to the Hub to support this collaboration and help SMEs in particular. The Council will meet every six months to agree actions for the sector. Read more about the five key messages from the first Council:

Commitment: universal resolution that making rapid and continuous progress on environmental sustainability is core to a successful industry in the short, medium and longer term. All our stakeholders whether investors, customers and future customers, employees, Councils and political parties are increasingly aligning on this.

Roadmap: change is complex and we depend on 1) manufacturers, infrastructure and trades being on the same journey and 2) investors, local government and central government agreeing, understanding and reinforcing the pathway. But as a sector we must lead and think well ahead of government and communicate the dependencies clearly, otherwise we will fail. Continuing to develop and amplify the roadmap is, therefore, vital.

Collaboration: agreement that all companies should share R&D. We must highlight and scale up the best exemplars. Close partnership with supply chain is fundamental.

SMEs: recognition of the need, and agreement, to support SMEs to navigate change when many are in survival mode, especially through sharing technical solutions.

Customer: last (but arguably first) is laser focus on building ever better homes and places for residents and their communities.

Terms of reference to be published shortly. The Council will meet every six months to agree actions for the sector, and membership of the Council will rotate, reflecting that leadership for sustainability must be shared right across the sector.

Biodiversity net gain: mapping out the process

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:01:31 GMT

Helen Nyul, Group Head of Biodiversity at Barratt Developments, and Rebecca Moberly, Principal Consultant at Planning Advisory Service, discuss how developing a shared process map can help encourage a smoother and more predictable process to delivering biodiversity net gain (BNG).

Understanding what needs to be delivered, by when is key to the smooth running of any project. The current BNG requirement is very new to developers and local planning authorities (LPA) alike, and therefore a tool to help shed light on what needs to be delivered was considered to be very useful.

To help map out those requirements developers from Future Homes Hub and the Planning Advisory Service worked together to produce the BNG Process Map .

This collaboration has informed both sectors of what needs to be done and how long it might take to be able to successfully design and deliver a BNG project through the current development and planning lifecycle stages. The aim was to produce a high level process diagram based on the information currently available on how mandatory BNG will work from November 2023.

By going through this process we have also been able to identify what additional information and guidance is needed to be able to implement the BNG process for both LPAs and the developer sector. This information has been fed back to the team at DEFRA who are in the midst of writing up the guidance.

From the developer perspective the process map will ensure that all the elements required to be delivered can be planned in accordingly. Additionally it provides an insight into how the deliverables are processed within the LPA as well as time scales for approval.

From the LPA perspective the process map helps set out what information local authorities should expect to be submitted on BNG and when this should come in the planning application process. It also highlights the key activities that LPAs will need to undertake to meet the new statutory requirements through the development management process.

What is key is the continued communication between LPAs and Developers to understand the challenges associated with the BNG process to enable solutions that can either increase efficiencies or improve the deliverables and the timescales associated with the overall process.

We’d love your feedback, especially on:

• Is there anything you'd change or add to the map to help the process run smoothly?

• How can this process map be used to help improve the process for developers and authorities?

Get in touch to share your thoughts.

Workshop insight: Removing barriers to delivering Biodiversity Net Gain offsite

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:48:26 GMT

Background: Delivering biodiverity net gain (BNG) units offsite is a critical element of the success of mandatory BNG, to be introduced in November 2023. In April, the Future Homes Hub held a workshop with the Markets Advisory Group, a group of land providers, agents and brokers, to understand the shared challenges and determine viable means of resolving them.

Purpose: We invited members of the Hub to join experts from a broad range of backgrounds, to understand the requirements of parties in the Biodiversity Net Gain Market and to facilitate effective engagement between them.

Chair: Nick White, Natural England

Date: 27 ^th March 2023

Who was there:

Barratt Developments

Bellway

Buckinghamshire Council

Ceres Property

Defra

Duchy of Cornwall

Environment Bank

Finance Earth

Gleeson

Hertfordshire County Council

Integrated Land Management

London Wildlife Trust

Natural England

Oxfordshire County Council

Persimmon Homes

Planning Advisory Service

Surrey County Council

Taylor Wimpey

Thakeham

What we covered: Working in groups representing all stages in the offsite BNG process, we looked at how parties plan to find buyers and sellers of units and their experience to date, reviewing the merits and challenges of different points of interface.

We then explored how buyers of units can know what is available in the market, what land is available and at what price. A key concern raised was the confidence in the long-term habitat management and the need for an assurance scheme.

Groups were then invited to discuss what would be needed to make the market function equitably and transparently. This followed on from the previous meeting where the Environment Bank and London Wildlife Trust presented their schemes and the group reviewed their merits. These, and other current offers in the market were discussed as well as the concept of a national, commercial register of available units.

We also looked at the process, particularly the expectations of Local Authorities, and the information flow at planning as well as what developers require from unit providers.

With Defra, Natural England and the Planning Advisory Service able to respond to particular concerns and clarify points raised, we were able to have productive and frank discussions as well as developing key networks between interested parties.

Key issues and next steps

How to deliver a transparent and functioning market.

Next steps: to explore how to enable a national commercial register of sites that allows clarity of units available, cost and commitment to join register.

High expectations on responsibilities of LPAs, and limits to their capacity.

Next steps: to streamline information required/standardise format, clarity of guidance and consistency of process (e.g local nature recovery strategies) and to provide schedule of BNG sites available.

Concern on assurance of quality of offsite management of BNG sites.

Next steps : to support Natural England in their trial of a quality assurance pilot for the management of offsite units.

Misinformation/misunderstanding for unit providers. Not appreciating the long-term commitment, costs of carrying out conservation management, value of land following conclusion of 30-year period.

Next steps: to work with Defra and other content providers to determine specific user need for BNG guidance, providing consistency and clarity in the process.

In addition, a small forum of developers came together after the meeting to consider the opportunities presented through jointly procured land with the potential to deliver biodiversity net gain off-sets at a landscape-scale, servicing multiple developments and over multiple years. If this seems workable, the Hub will provide further details as a framework for others to follow.

Find out more about biodiversity net gain

For further information please contact Chandeni Bissumbar

The language of biodiversity net gain

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:18:15 GMT

Here we speak with Helen Nyul, Group Head of Biodiversity at Barratt Developments about the changes coming later this year, and how the Hub is working with developers on approaching new regulations.

What is Biodiversity Net Gain and how are things changing?

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a term that is becoming more frequently used the closer we get to November 2023 and is a particular approach to development and land which deliver measurable improves to the habitat.

In November this year, we expect the Environment Act 2021, to come into force and mandate that there must be delivery of a minimum of 10% more biodiversity in and around our developments than was there in the first place, to secure planning.

Why is BNG becoming regulated?

The reason for BNG being made mandatory is to try to halt and reverse the significant decline of biodiversity that we are experiencing across the UK. The State of Nature Report identifies that 40% of our native species are suffering from excessive decline. This is worrying because biodiversity is fundamental to our health and well-being as well as a strong and functioning economy .

What steps are being taken towards BNG new regulations already?

At Barratt, we felt confident that we could deliver the required gains. We therefore committed to achieving a minimum BNG of 10% across all development designs submitted for planning from January 2023, ahead of the November deadline.

In the meantime, 30 of the most engaged developers have so far joined the biodiversity oversight group and recognise that this is a significant change in planning requirements and in how habitats are recorded and designed in all new developments. The purpose of this group is to support the homebuilding sector in successfully complying with the BNG requirement in a cost effective manner, securing positive outcomes for nature and creating better places for local communities. It provides a space for companies to share experiences and challenges and find common solutions.

Defra, Natural England and others have provided a wealth of guidance associated with the process of delivering BNG. However, the terms and processes are still not well understood or defined in regulatory terms. We await the release of the secondary legislation to firm up some of that understanding, which is expected early in 2023.

What have the BNG Oversight group been working on so far?

In the first meeting of the group, there was much discussion around the clarity needed for terms and processes, most notably from our colleagues who operate small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are an important part of the building sector and can be disproportionally affected by new legal requirements. If we are going to reverse the trend in biodiversity loss as well as support our SME housebuilders, then they need to be as engaged with the BNG process as the large housebuilders.

One of the first issues highlighted was the language and terminology associated with BNG. A process designed by ecologists to be used by other ecologists was never going to be easily accessible by non-ecologists. A challenge, of the main target group for the delivery of BNG requirements are developers. Therefore, we have developed a short glossary of terms to try and explain some of the terminology used below.

Mitigation hierarchy

An example to begin with is the ‘mitigation hierarchy’, a fundamental principle associated with the design of BNG projects. It is a term that describes a process that has been used in conservation management for over a century and formed the basis for environmentalism in the United States in the early 1900s. Today’s mitigation hierarchy process requires the developer to ‘avoid’, ‘minimise’, ‘mitigate’ and then finally ‘offset’ their impact to biodiversity through the design of their development. However, that in and of itself is not an explanation to non-environmentalists. The whole principle really needs to be unpacked and translated into language understood by developers in order for it to be properly implemented from site identification to the design process.

Good practice principles

The mitigation hierarchy is just one of the 10 BNG Good Practice Principles that are often overlooked or misunderstood. The principles are needed to ensure the process is adhered to correctly and that the best outcomes for biodiversity are achieved. Most ecologists have a good understanding of these and how they should be applied. Although a number of these principles are captured within the Biodiversity Metric calculator (see below), for an SME without any ecology capacity they could be designing BNG projects that miss or disregard some of these principles, potentially leading to time consuming re-plans and additional costs.

Habitats versus species

Another area that often causes confusion within the sector is the fact that the process only measures the impacts associated with habitats and not species. This decision was based on the fact that a healthy and functioning habitat should provide shelter, food and places to breed for the species associated with those habitats. Thereby the habitats act as proxies for species. A fact well understood to an ecologist but not so well understood to a developer who is wondering why the hundreds of bird boxes installed around their site do not count for anything in a BNG calculation.

Biodiversity Metric

Then there is the calculator itself, the Biodiversity Metric. A simple tool on the face of it, which can be easily downloaded from Natural England’s website and filled in by a non-ecologist with limited training. However, to ensure accuracy, both in terms of the data input and interpretation of the results, this requires an experienced ecologist. Without this input, erroneous biodiversity baselines and wildly ambitious net gain scores are commonplace. However, how does a developer, particularly one with limited internal capacity such as an SME, engage with the calculator to provide optimal outcomes, both for biodiversity and the developer? This is also necessary to avoid SMEs having to continually reassess their BNG score with external consultants, thereby costing money as they go through the design process.

Biodiversity units and credits

Another area of confusion are the terms ‘biodiversity unit’ and ‘biodiversity credit’ and their association with a biodiversity offset, which is the last step on the mitigation hierarchy. A biodiversity unit is both a measure of biodiversity used in the Biodiversity Metric and a tradable item generated through a habitat creation or enhancement project. Whereas a biodiversity credit is created by the Secretary of State, which a developer can purchase as a last resort, when no other appropriate offset options are available. The funds are then invested in habitat projects across the UK. The issue with this is that the terms are often used interchangeably even within the ecology sector.

Biodiversity offset

We have found the term ‘biodiversity offset’ to be another major source of ambiguity. From an ecological perspective an offset needs to be the action of last resort, a well-considered activity that provides meaningful mitigation in proximity to the site of impact. These criteria are to some extent captured in the Biodiversity Metric (scores are weighted positively or negatively depending on the offset). However, the rationale behind the criteria needs to be defined in a way that helps a developer make decisions as to whether or not there is an appropriate offset nearby that will provide an optimal outcome.

Benefit stacking

Also associated with offsets is the term ‘stacking of benefits’. This allows for more than one environmental benefit to be produced and sold from the same area of land, an important consideration in areas that are restricted in terms of land availability. Without understanding this concept or how to deliver and segregate the benefits, offsets could be created that miss opportunities for wider environmental benefits or make claims about stacking that cannot be demonstrated or delivered appropriately.

Next steps

The above list of terms is not exhaustive and most of these are associated with the first steps associated with site identification and design of a BNG compliant development. There are still lots of terms associated with delivery, management and long term maintenance that need to be translated.

This is why the next step for the Future Homes Hub BNG Oversight Group is to produce SME specific guidance, in language that does not water down the BNG process, but provides clear and unequivocal terms that support SME housebuilders meet their requirements. The BNG requirement needs to be understood by SMEs and, like larger businesses, they need to engage with the process appropriately. This will hopefully mean that more businesses are geared up to meet the November 2023 deadline.

Find out more about the Biodiversity Net Gain Project

References

[1] Hayhow DB, Eaton MA, Stanbury AJ, Burns F, Kirby WB, Bailey N, Beckmann B, Bedford J, Boersch-Supan PH, Coomber F, Dennis EB, Dolman SJ, Dunn E, Hall J, Harrower C, Hatfield JH, Hawley J, Haysom K, Hughes J, Johns DG, Mathews F, McQuatters-Gollop A, Noble DG, Outhwaite CL, Pearce-Higgins JW, Pescott OL, Powney GD and Symes N (2019) The State of Nature 2019. The State of Nature partnership.

[1] Dasgupta, P. (2021), The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review.

The Future Homes Hub Embodied and Whole Life Carbon report is here

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:56:11 GMT

The homebuilding community is on a rapid journey to reduce the “Whole Life Carbon” of new homes.

From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will help reduce the “in use” carbon emissions by at least 75%. With the switch to electric and high standards of fabric efficiency it will also be a “zero carbon ready” standard.

At the same time, we need to reduce the carbon emissions embodied in products, and from the construction and maintenance of buildings.

However, we currently lack the information needed to reduce embodied carbon quickly, while taking good decisions about how to reduce carbon emissions in the round and building better and safer homes for our customers.

The 2023-2025 embodied and whole life carbon implementation plan will therefore bring homebuilders, manufacturers, expert and government organisations together to:

develop the tools homebuilders need to better understand and consistently/accurately measure embodied and whole life carbon
work with manufacturers to provide clear information on their products and what carbon reductions they will achieve in the future
develop benchmarks for the different types of homes we build

This will help us get ready as government policy and financial requirements apply.

View the report here

Further information on the project can be found here

We have an industry roadmap for whole life carbon – now we must all drive it forward

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 09:34:30 GMT

The Hub recently caught up with Brian Johnson, Group Development Director of Cala Group, who is Chair of the homebuilding sector's Embodied and Whole Life Carbon project and the groups work

What inspired you to lead this project?

Building sustainable communities, running our businesses with the planet in mind, and giving our customers the tools to reduce their own environmental impact, are all driving principles for homebuilders today.

The Future Homes Hub is testament to just how significant a focus these efforts have become, and how crucial it is that we work together as a sector towards these common goals. Afterall, as individual businesses, even when sustainability is woven into our long-term strategies and engrained in our day-to-day activities, we can only go so far on our own.

When we combine our efforts, our impact goes so much further. Housing generates 16% of the UK’s carbon emissions, so homebuilding has a significant impact on the planet – but this also means we have huge potential to collectively make a positive difference.

Given this, when I was asked if I would assist the Future Homes Hub in becoming industry chair for their Embodied and Whole Life Carbon project, it was a challenge that I could not refuse.

Why whole life carbon?

When it comes to operational carbon, homebuilding has come a long way, and businesses are largely on a similar journey to reduce the emissions produced by their homes. When we turn to embodied carbon, however, our sector’s challenges are more complex. ‘Whole life’ carbon makes up homebuilding’s biggest carbon output but is significantly harder to quantify and includes many facets, from materials to transport, groundworks to construction, installation to maintenance.

Homebuilders are making progress, but there is a less unified approach when it comes to measuring and tackling whole life carbon. There’s no doubt that rather than working in silos on this collective challenge, we must pool our knowledge and create a common roadmap that accelerates all our efforts.

This approach is good for the planet, good for business, and good for customers. This is the spirit from which the Hub’s Embodied and Whole Life Carbon project was born – and we need the whole industry to get behind it.

Why is industry helping to define the approach?

Government is considering a regulated approach to embodied and whole life carbon and intends to consult in 2023. The Hub aims to bring stakeholders from across the industry together to develop a sector-led, practical proposal to for how mainstream measurement and reduction of whole life carbon in new homes sector could be achieved.

By crafting our own industry roadmap, we can design it in ways that are bespoke to homebuilding’s specific needs and challenges, while meeting government ambitions. This means industry-defined metrics leading to industry-defined targets, identifying and addressing the nuanced challenges of supply chain, skills, design and construction.

Many leading developers, stakeholders and industry bodies have already joined to help shape the project so far. There are too many to list here, but this includes large developers, SMEs, manufacturers, whole life carbon consultants, government departments and green building groups. A full list of all those involved can be found on the Future Homes Hub website.

With this whole-sector, holistic view, where everyone has been given an opportunity to influence our plans, we are confident that our findings will truly benefit all involved.

What have we done so far?

In 2022, our first phase of work has created an assessment of the baseline whole life carbon position and an implementation plan for addressing embodied carbon.

The plan has four key elements:

Measurement and disclosure of upfront and whole life carbon assessments at both an individual home design level and whole development project site level with increasing levels of coverage.
Setting of benchmarks for voluntary uptake for upfront and whole life carbon, using data gathered from carbon assessments carried out by UK homebuilders and initially disclosed via the Hub.
The pathway to setting industry supported targets for voluntary uptake prior to (or concurrently with) the introduction of regulation.
Co-ordinated engagement with the supply chain to ensure that Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are increasingly available to support mainstream disclosure.

The resulting report will be available in January, and the Hub will then bring all key partners together to help coordinate delivery of the plan and the sharing of results and best practice.

For businesses who get involved, there will be a toolkit that can be used to benchmark and measure whole life carbon, and a detailed roadmap that can then be followed as a blueprint for an effective reduction journey, no matter a business’ size, scale or specialism.

The Hub will set up a group to oversee the implementation of the plan and enabling activities, alongside several working groups of homebuilders to test the assessment framework and roadmap. The Hub will also co-ordinate the collation of the carbon assessment data provided during voluntary measurement and disclosure.

Our plan is to roll-out the initial roadmap and share information, best practice and data in 2023, use that to develop our blueprint even further in 2024, ready for implementation in 2025, taking the sector through to 2050, in line with government targets.

The project will be ever-evolving – the roadmap will be refined as we share information and examine results, making it more effective for everyone. This underscores the importance of industry involvement – success depends on full participation.

How can companies get involved?

Those who participate in the project give their businesses the best opportunity to effectively reach net zero embodied carbon – it’s as simple as that.

And our plans have been designed to attract industry confidence and buy in. For example, they aim to ensure that measurement techniques achieve their objectives cost effectively, are accessible to smaller developers and, together with the benchmarks and targets, avoid unintended consequences such as reducing embodied carbon in ways that inadvertently increase carbon emissions over building and development lifecycles. The plan also provides the opportunity to consider the embodied carbon implications while homebuilders are developing solutions for meeting the Future Homes Standard.

I’d urge homebuilders, the supply chain and wider industry to get involved in this landmark project, to follow the roadmap, share data and contribute ideas so we can develop our plan even further.

We are all on the same journey – it makes sense to collaborate, so we all get there quicker.

View the report, find out more about the Embodied and Whole Life Carbon project and sign up to get involved here .

Refining the Future Homes Standard 2025: Evidence review workshop

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 12:05:15 GMT

Purpose: to review the implications of different options for meeting the Future Homes Standard when delivered at scale

Chairs: David Adams, Strategic Advisor and Oliver Novakovic, Scale-up Director

Date: Wednesday 30 November – Thursday 1 December

Who participated: 80 delegates from large and small home builders, suppliers, designers, consultants, housing associations, customer groups, planners and government policy makers.

Background

The Government has committed to consult on the Future Homes Standard in late spring 2023. This Standard will deliver zero carbon ready homes, with low carbon heating and high fabric standards, that will require no future retrofitting.

The Future Homes Hub is operating under a terms of reference from the Department for Levelling Up to present the views of all stakeholders on the new technologies and approaches homebuilders may use to deliver the Future Homes Standard and the benefits and challenges of each. The process has brought together over 180 people from 112 different organisations.

What we covered

We looked at the full range of “contender specifications” for building Net Zero homes under the Future Homes Standard .

And the practical implications of delivering them at scale through a range of different lenses:

Learnings from the 2021 changes to parts F, L, O and S of the building regulations
Consumer desirability and expectations
Skills
Supply chain
Fabric performance
Technnology performance
Design and planning implications
Implications for flatted developments
Grid loads
Implications for SMEs
Metrics

What happens next

The findings are being drafted and will be reported to DLUHC in early January and made available in a public report.

You can find out more about the Future Homes Standard project here .

You can also hear from Strategic Advisor for the Hub, David Adams here .

Many thanks to all who have participated in the meeting and wider process. The spirit of collaboration has been inspiring.

As one delegate said:

This decade is going to bring huge change to the built environment and energy sector – I hope the work we’ve done helps some way in achieving a just and green transition. Sitting in a room with so many people who are bringing ideas forward, collaborating and sharing their experiences and goals has given me a real hope for our future.

Workshop insight: developing an agenda for valuation of sustainable homes

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 11:52:03 GMT

Purpose: to develop an agenda to better understand the benefits of energy efficient and sustainable homes, so they are recognised in the home buying process

Chairs: Adrian MacDiarmid – Barratt Developments

Date: Thursday 24 November

Who participated:

Future Homes Hub

Home Builders Federation

Countrywide Surveyors

Esurv Surveyors

Connells Surveyors

Sesame Bankhall Surveying Services

L&G Surveying Services

Nationwide Building Surveyors

Lloyds Banking Group

What we covered

We looked at the range of future specifications for Net Zero homes and discussed:

how these might be interpreted in valuation guidance and lender policy,
what we might collaboratively do to promote a greater understanding of the benefits, risks and opportunities
what simultaneous changes in environmental design and performance of new homes will influence how homes are valued
what the current relationship between pricing and energy efficiency is and how this might develop
who the key stakeholders are that could support this and how they might be engaged

We reviewed the objectives for the valuation working group which are to:

map the key stakeholders in the homebuying process (including for example for customers, lenders, surveyors, builders, warranty providers, media, brokers, mortgage distributors, Government, trade bodies, RICS)
identify where the information and training gaps are and develop a plan to address those gaps.
establish the relationship between pricing and energy efficiency
provide a forum for high level dialogue on the risks and opportunities.

What we agreed to

develop a 3 year strategic timeline leading up to Future Homes Standard
consider who the broader stakeholders are and develop a communications plan to support wider engagement and education
collate research on the value attributed to sustainability
consider an independently approved value for energy savings
propose a suitable working and governance structure for the workstream steering group that can drive progress and engage and educate more widely

For further information please contact Harry Briggs .

David Adams discusses the work of the Hub towards the Future Homes Standard

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 21:54:11 GMT

David Adams is a Strategic Adviser for the Future Homes Hub. Here Hannah Rogers, Head of Communications and Engagement at the Hub catches up with David as he shares the work the Hub is doing to contribute to the Future Homes Standard.

When is the Future Homes Standard coming – and what are the steps to get there?

The Future Homes Standard 2025 is expected to come into force in June 2025 which, through building regulations, is intended to reduce carbon emissions from new homes by 75-80% on introduction. It ‘will also be a ‘zero carbon ready’ standard, switching off fossil fuels and becoming zero carbon as the grid decarbonises. Formal consultation on the standard is due in the Spring of 2023. The Hub, under terms of reference from Government, has been exploring how the standard can be delivered at scale to inform the consultation. Once complete, the Government will respond back to the consultation and develop the policy and detailed requirements.

What is the Future Homes Hub role in all this? How will this improve the outcomes for homebuilders and the industry?

With a short timescale (October to December 2022), the Future Homes Hub is currently running a ‘refining the 2025 Future Home Standard’ task group. We’ve gathered a range of 140 stakeholders with different viewpoints and experiences – and we’re running approximately 20 working groups that are considering different aspects of the Future Homes Standard. Some are technical, such as heat pumps and ventilation; others are design, planning, valuation, consumer perspectives and grid load implications. We have smaller businesses alongside those who have a high-level of delivery – to gather their ideas and evidence to help inform DLUHC as they consider what questions to ask in the formal consultation.

What are the key questions the government is looking for the FHS Task Group to answer? And what is being excluded and why?

The Government want to build a picture of what the benefits and challenges of different technologies and approaches are. The purpose of the Task Group is not to provide a recommendation or which potential technology or approach is best, we’re tasked with helping Government understand what the practical opportunities and barriers would be if these approaches were delivered at scale. We’re also being asked to consider the implications of different ways of expressing the targets that legislation asks for.

In terms of exclusions – we won’t be looking at the embodied carbon and whole life carbon implications, instead focusing on operational carbon only. Both embodied and whole life carbon will be reviewed by another group. We’re also limiting conversation about the implications of the power grid – keeping this to considering only at a development site level, simply to be pragmatic with the time and scope we have.

What’s the process the Future Homes Hub has put in place to provide this?

We have asked two questions - first, how might a home meet the proposed reduction in carbon emissions? From the many responses, we identified five “contender specifications”, being five different combinations of fabric performance and use of technologies that may meet the standard. Importantly, these reflect the views of a broad range of stakeholders on what the Future Homes Standard 2025 could be.

Then our second question is, considering each of these five specifications, what would the industry have to do to deliver at scale, and what are the implications and attributes of homes built to those standards?

We need to be able to answer what the benefits and challenges are of different technologies and approaches - such as heat pumps, ventilation systems, different heating systems, and different fabric performance levels – as well as the solutions. We’re also being asked to consider the implications of different ways of expressing the targets in legislation.

The working groups are also exploring specific lenses. For example, what might consumer and home buyers think of living in these homes? What are the energy and running costs? What are upfront costs? Planning applications?

It’s a great opportunity for everyone to learn from different experiences. This is the first time some of these conversations are happening with such a broad range of stakeholders – it's brilliant.

We’re not proposing that one solution is better than another, but using the knowledge and experience of the sector, we are setting out the implications of different choices to be able to generate that evidence that DLUHC is seeking to understand in their targeted approach to 2025.

One of the key takeaways we have seen so far is the importance of consumer understanding and commissioning of installing of services. We need to understand the needs and wants of consumers and buyers of new build housing.

Where are you now in the process and what comes next?

All the working groups are now in full flow and they’re focusing in on answering the key questions they have identified and pulling together the appropriate info and sourcing evidence. This is in advance of two-day meeting and workshop on 30 November and 1 December where we review the evidence, and test it, as a group. The plan is to have the report written as a draft for DLUHC by mid-December and published in the new year.

Looking to next year, we’ll continue to work with stakeholders during and after the Government consultation period and as Government prepares approved documents. We are also proposing to work with Government departments in a more structured way, with agreed timelines from now to application of the standard, on the so-called ‘critical enablers’, including SAP, skills, supply chain, infrastructure and helping to prepare customers for the change.

It is truly inspiring to have so many people give so much of their time to this work. The homebuilding sector is clearly engaged with the move to zero-carbon-ready homes and is showing leadership in accelerating change in a practical and achievable way.

Find out more about our Future Homes Standard project.

Government must work with us to fill net zero roadmap goals

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:19:18 GMT

David Thomas is the CEO of Barratt Developments and Chair of The Future Homes Hub

It is less than a year since COP26 arrived in my hometown of Glasgow, bringing the world together to focus on tackling carbon emissions, protecting our precious forests and accelerating the shift to clean energy.

Meanwhile, this summer, we experienced widespread heatwaves, record temperatures and drought conditions across the UK – climate change is undoubtedly already here.

However, the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis has shifted the world’s focus, as we face into the sharply rising cost, and the long-term insecurity, of the energy that we source and use. Government has grasped the immediate nettle, capping the cost of energy for consumers, but this cannot be the long-term solution.

The housebuilding industry is a significant driver of the UK economy; it creates jobs, unlocks investment and creates opportunity and prosperity for people across the country. However, as we pursue economic growth, we cannot do so at all costs. The housebuilding sector will therefore have a key role in boosting the economy today, while maintaining its determination to build a new generation of greener, cheaper-to-run homes and sustainable communities for tomorrow.

So, as Government launches a net zero review, it faces a twin challenge – how to deliver its legally binding net zero commitments, which it has said it will continue to honour, as well as how to provide long-term energy security that protects the public and Government from unpredictable, unsustainable cost.

The answer to both critical questions is the same. Simply, we have to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, wherever they come from. And, with homes responsible for 16% of the UK’s carbon emissions and with energy bills driving inflation and putting pressure on households across the country, it makes sense to focus our efforts on greening the country’s housing stock.

Modern new homes are already around two-thirds more efficient than older properties, saving residents thousands of pounds a year in utility bills, but the housebuilding industry is going further. In fact, it will be among the first sectors to take the next step and be net zero ready in just a few years, which will require the biggest change in how we build since the Second World War.

To drive change, the Future Homes Hub, a new and independent organisation, is bringing the industry together, to accelerate and deliver an effective transition to building zero carbon, cheap to run homes, at the scale needed. I am delighted to be asked to become the first Chair of the Hub and to join leaders from across the industry to achieve this generational shift. More than 40 businesses have joined so far, who collectively build most of the country’s homes and range from major housebuilders to pioneering SMEs. We can all share our expertise, learn from each other and level up.

Zero carbon homes are not new, but building these homes at the scale required – for instance the 243,000 homes built over the last year – is complex and cannot be achieved by a single organisation. The whole sector, from product manufacturers, utility companies, environmental bodies, house builders large and small and, of course, Government, will have to work collectively.

We need to innovate and test low carbon technologies – settling the electric versus hydrogen debate – find solutions that make being green easy, and cheap, for everyone. We need a robust supply chain, with products such as air source heat pumps available at the scale and price required to meet significant demand. We need skilled technicians to install and maintain the technology, a huge opportunity for those currently working in carbon intensive industries. We need the grid to be ready to take the strain, with the capacity to cope as we shift to electricity – electric cars, electric homes, electric businesses. Smaller housebuilders will need advice and support as they move through the transition.

Perhaps most importantly, we need the public to come on the journey. Homes must be pleasant, comfortable places to live. They must be well designed, familiar and nature-friendly too. Energy efficiency and associated savings has become a key driver for our customers, a trend that will continue. But as we have found within my own company, Barratt Developments, on our 100% air source heat pump Delamare Park development near Frome, we have to take time to talk with potential customers who are perhaps unsure about buying a home without that familiar gas boiler. Many are unaware that gas boilers will be banned in new homes from 2025. This challenge of communications is, again, one we need to work collectively on.

While industry must lead the change, Government should set the direction. To succeed, and to succeed quickly, we need Government to work with us to fill in gaps on our roadmap to net zero. Government can also help align related sectors, with energy, construction products and homes all moving together. The roadmap can help the sector navigate related challenges too, like embodied carbon, biodiversity and nature, adapting homes for hotter, wetter climates and encouraging sustainable lifestyles.

The sector is ready to deliver the Future Homes Standard, the net zero ready regulations planned for 2025, so that they are achievable and deliver the required outcomes, with a smooth and effective transition for business and the public.

With certainty on the destination, industry can invest in confidence, manufacturers will build new factories, businesses will develop skills and jobs that lead to attractive, stable careers.

The homebuilding sector is determined to take responsibility, to do the right thing, to tackle the twin challenges of carbon and energy security. With the Hub bringing the industry, and Government, together, with a shared vision and roadmap, we can build net zero homes and a resilient, green Britain.

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Future Homes Hub to hold two Technical Conferences in Leeds and London this June

New Water Smart Growth Board Established to Support Sustainable Housing Delivery Through Integrated Water Management

The Future Homes Hub Welcomes Publication of the Future Homes Standard

New Industry-Government Partnership to Tackle Embodied Carbon and Drive Resource Efficiency Savings

Get Future Homes Standard Ready: UK new homes sector unites on mission to deliver next generation of low energy homes

Jennie Daly CBE appointed Chair of the Future Homes Hub

New Architect-Focused Heat Pump Design Guide Launched to Support Future Homes Standard Delivery

BNG Tech Providers - A Market Snapshot by Andrew Hicks

Reviewing the Future of Part G: Key Themes from Our Industry Discussion

A New Era of Carbon Transparency: Landmark Study Establishes a Data-Driven Path to Net Zero for UK Homebuilders

Future Homes Conference 2025

New Knowledge Centre launched

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board: One Year On

HEM Consultation - Government Response Published

HEM Consultation - Government Response Published

David Campbell joins the Future Homes Hub Board

David Campbell joins the Future Homes Hub Board

Part G Consultation Blog - John Slaughter

Part G Consultation - John Slaughter, External Affairs Director, Water Neutrality Group Lead (Future Homes Hub).

Home Buyer Customer Journey Guide to support Sales & Marketing teams with Future Homes Standard homes

Alison Crofton Joins Future Homes Hub Board, Bringing Strategic Leadership Across Housing, Regeneration and Sustainability.

Nick Barter Joins Future Homes Hub Board

Nick Barter Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Strengthen Collaboration on Nature-Positive Development and Land Use Policy

Mark Farmer Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Accelerate Modern Methods and Net Zero Transition

Mark Farmer Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Accelerate Modern Methods and Net Zero Transition

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board Quarterly Update July 2025

Future Homes Hub Expands ‘Homes for Nature’ to Include Apartments

The Hub June Newsletter

Beyond the Blueprints: Seeing the Bigger Picture with Future Homes Hub

Bargate Managing Director Joins Future Homes Hub Board to Champion SMEs

Future Homes Hub Launches New Guide to Simplify Biodiversity Net Gain On-Site

Future Homes Standard: Update and webinar

Future Homes Standard DESNZ Announcement

The Future Homes Standard: a mission-driven approach to deliver at pace and scale

The Future Homes Standard: a mission-driven approach to deliver at pace and scale.

Matthew Pratt

The Hub May Newsletter

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board quarterly update May 2025

The Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board met on the 23 rd April 2025.

This note covers the areas agreed for focus in the next quarter and where input and wider support on these activities is welcomed. There was also a discussion on how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) fits with other evolving nature recovery policy areas, summarised below.

Focus areas for the next quarter

How BNG fits with other policies

A Shared Pathway to Better Homes and a Sustainable Future

New Homes Net Zero Transition Plan

Today the new homes sector has set out its initial Transition Plan as a shared pathway and framework for decarbonising new homes consistent with the Government's carbon budget and housing delivery plans.

The Hub April Newsletter

New Homes Sector Net Zero Transition Plan

Embodied and Whole Life Carbon of Future Homes Standard Options Report

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board quarterly update March 2025

The Hub February Newsletter

Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board Launches to Support Successful Delivery of Landmark Policy

What support is out there for SMEs to meet the BNG requirements on small sites?

What do we know about the timing of the Future Homes Standard?

2024: A year in review

Future Homes Conference Breakout Speakers

Future Homes Standard Breakout

BNG Process Flow Diagram Updated

The Hub’s BNG Process Flow Diagram Update

Future Homes Hub CEO Summer Update 2024

New Demonstrator Digest Shares Key Learnings for Builders Embracing Low Carbon Homes

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Future Homes Conference 2024: First Speakers Announced

Future Homes Conference 2024: Key sponsors announced to drive sustainable homes agenda

Why it's more important than ever to create Homes for Nature

Building Greener Futures: Tackling Embodied Carbon in New Homes

What is whole life carbon?

Introducing the Whole Life Carbon Conventions and Tool

Collaboration across the sector

How could this influence the design process?

What next?

Future Homes Hub Water Efficiency Report

Mandatory BNG on small sites & the launch of BNG Online

Meeting update: Future Homes Standard Implementation Board

Meeting update: Future Homes CEO Council

The Future Homes Standard Consultation has landed

Matthew Pratt, CEO of Redrow takes up role of co-chair of the Future Homes Standard Implementation Board

Future Homes Leadership Council launches

Biodiversity net gain: mapping out the process

Workshop insight: Removing barriers to delivering Biodiversity Net Gain offsite

The Biodiversity Net Gain Implementation Board met on the 23 ^rd April 2025.