A round table held this week in London featured a variety of expert voices from the social housing sector, plus leading construction sector thought leaders, discussing solutions for decarbonising homes at scale, for the long-term benefit of tenants.
The Building Insights LIVE round table brought housing professionals together with the construction supply chain and expert consultants to collaborate on answers to one of the biggest challenges, and opportunities, for social housing and the construction sector. The £1.29bn Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, currently in its third wave of energy efficiency upgrade projects, gives the chance to achieve low energy retrofits at a scale never before seen in the sector, helping protect against fuel poverty and provide healthier homes.
This unique group openly explored realistic solutions for decarbonisation at scale, including hearing insights from event sponsors WMS Underfloor Heating, LHC Procurement Group, Intergas Heating and Mira Showers, on their key issues.
Many obstacles were discussed during the event, such as the lack of a single motivating factor for energy efficiency upgrades, instead there being a multiplicity of factors and allied confusion around who is the decision maker on projects. The difficulties of affordability was highlighted, as was the need for engagement with residents, including sharing examples of success. There was general agreement that the retrofits required for decarbonisation across housing portfolios can be extremely disruptive.
Recommendations were shared for both industry and Government to upgrade properties across the sector effectively, from use of AI to easing affordability problems by bringing down the price of electricity, to working in a more joined-up way across Government. As the centre reviews the Minimum Energy Performance Bill in the run-up to the fourth wave of Warm Homes Fund projects, they would be well advised to pay attention to the recommendations when the full report on the round table emerges in the December/January edition of Housing Management & Maintenance.
The round table was a valuable opportunity to explore how lessons are already being learned in the sector on the key measures needed. With the Government hoping to “lift 1 million-plus households out of fuel poverty by 2030,” only practical knowledge-sharing and collaboration of this sort will see realistic solutions disseminated across the UK.
Event chair Matt Baird, recruitment director at Baird and Co Recruitment and co-chair of Spring Housing Association, commented on the event’s success:
“This was a truly insightful and excellent day of discourse and respectful debate with professionals from a wide range of lenses.”
“The discussion and learnings flowed seamlessly due to the breadth of attendees; these sessions are fast becoming must-attend events in the social housing calendar.”
The full list of delegates for the Building Insights LIVE round table was:
- Tania Jennings, Net Zero Carbon Manager, Lewisham Council
- Sue Riddlestone, CEO Bioregional Development Group
- Paul Norman, Director of Asset Strategy, Clarion Housing Group
- Alison Haigh, Associate, Buttress Architects
- Sarah Daly, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Sustainable Communities, Agile Homes
- Richard Ellis, Director of Sustainability, Peabody
- Stephen Tracey, Construction Manager, Wates
- Christian Dimbleby, Head of Sustainability UK, White Arkitekter
- Georgina Sommerville, Managing Director, Green Rose Community Interest Company
- Ruth Dent, Director of Customer & Assets, Re:gen Group
- Elaine Middleton, Elaine Middleton, head of partnerships and consultant, The Social Housing Round Table
- Alison Skillen – RISE Project Director, Turner & Townsend
- Kyae Lee, Senior Technical & Sustainability Manager, Legal & General Affordable Homes
Sponsor attendees
- Mark Owen, Business Development Manager, WMS Underfloor Heating
- Graham Collie, Director of Product Innovation, LHC Procurement Group
- Stewart Thompson, National Specification Manager, Intergas Heating
- Ben Smith, Senior Channel Manager (Specification), Mira Showers
Event Chair:
Matt Baird, Spring Housing
A Building Insights podcast capturing some of the key sections of the debate, will be available at: insights.netmagmedia.co.uk