Social housing sector running out of time to meet sustainability targets
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Nine in ten social housing construction professionals believe the sector is in urgent need of new government guidelines if it is going to successfully meet sustainability targets, new research has revealed.
In a survey of 150 decision makers involved in the specification of building materials used for social housing developments, 88% agreed that the sector cannot wait for the pending Decarbonisation Fund and Decent Homes Standard review to define how it is going to become more sustainable – it needs this detail now.
The research by Wienerberger, a leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, explored several key issues facing the social housing sector, including the housing shortage, sustainability and building quality. It found that the sector was in desperate need of support and guidance if it is to overcome the challenges it’s facing. This guidance was expected to be included in the Social Housing Whitepaper which was released late last year, but it failed to clarify a number of key details the sector was waiting on.
When asked when the sector would need guidance by, a quarter said that it was too late and that further detail was required in 2020 if it was going to adapt in time to meet the government's sustainability targets. 26% of housing association directors believe that there is still time, but only if the government provides further guidance in the first half of this year.
Not only must the UK build more sustainably, but it also needs to increase the rate at which new homes are built to reach the government’s target of 300,000 new homes by 2025. 56% of housing association directors said that, like with sustainability, significantly more guidance and support is required from the government if it’s to meet this target.
Nearly half the social housing sector (47%), and 88% of all local authority professionals surveyed, believe that to solve the housing crisis central government must give local councils more money and powers to build social housing in their area.
As well as building greater volumes in a more environmentally friendly manner, the UK’s social housing stock needs to maintain a high standard of build quality. 70% of in-house housing association professionals said that to improve standards without exceeding costs or being non-compliant, the sector needs to improve how it collaborates and communicates so that it can share best practice methodologies, technologies and innovations.
Wienerberger discussed its research findings with a panel of senior decision makers from across the social housing sector during a virtual roundtable. During the discussion, Nick Gornall, Head of Development at Great Places Housing Group, shared his views: “The industry has no guidance on the standard of products that will be required to meet the targets, so we don’t know if the housing stock we’re building or the changes we’re making to existing stock will be good enough to meet the sustainability standards.”
Phil Pemberton, Director of Asset Strategy and Delivery at Riverside, added: “The industry has time; it just needs a strategic plan for how to get there. There’s a responsibility from the sector as well as the government about achieving the target.”
For more information on Wienerberger and the solutions it offers, please visit: https://www.wienerberger.co.uk/
