The Case for consumer driven high quality homes

Gwyn Roberts

Homes and Communities Lead, BRE

© 2014 BRE

1. The Government Challenge2. The Consumer Challenge3. How HQM addresses the Challenges

© 2014 BRE

1997 to 2010

Big Government Climate Change

Act

2010-2016 2016+

Devolution

Zero Carbon Homes

Austerity

Numbers of Homes

Shrinking Government

Deregulation Act

Paris COP 21

“Quality” of Homes

BREXIT

Smarter Homes

Uncertainty

Stronger Consumer Drive?

2. The Consumer Challenge

© 2014 BRE

4 pieces of consumer research

Introducing the Home Quality Mark

― MoneySupermarket

― Independent focus groups

― Surveys of people living in high performing homes.

― Grand Designs survey

Choice of home sees ‘heart’ dominate ‘head’.

HOWEVER, value objective information.

25 February 2015 5© 2014 BRE

© 2014 BRE

What did people say?

Amenities, location and

space

Community

Sound Investment

Good quality

Exceed Expectations

Reassurance over running

costs

NoiseLight and Airy

96% made changes to

be more sustainable.

Need for clear

controls

Temperature

© 2014 BRE 7

Not just our research…

• Energy Efficiency features in both #1 and #2 spot of most important features

• Reliable Broadband and digital features is more important than a garage

• Friendly neighbours, energy rating, local amenities are all more important than an en-suite bathroom.

• More than a quarter were willing to pay at least a 6% premium for a home with sustainable features.

• 60% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that they would be more likely to buy a new home from a company building sustainable homes,

© 2014 BRE

― Information “When I’m looking it will give me some pointers”

― Over 90% people would prefer a home with independent mark.

― 1 in 5 people would pay more.

― 75% would pay £750 or more per home for certification. Of this 13% would pay £3000

25 February 2015 8© 2014 BRE

Consumer Trust

3. How HQM addresses the challenge

© 2014 BRE

Why do we need the Home Quality Mark?

The Home Quality Mark is a new rigorous and relevant standard for new homes.

Provide consumers with the tools to make the smart choice when buying or renting a new home.

Enable housebuilders to differentiate their products and to articulate the benefits of new homes.

#betterhomes

© 2014 BRE

Home - A home is more than 4 walls and a roof, it is about hearts and minds.

Quality - Everybody wants quality, but doesn’t always know what it is.

Mark - Provides reassurance, independence, backed by science.

“Independent benchmarking of new homes is hugely important”.

Cala Homes Chief Executive Alan Brown

#betterhomes

© 2014 BRE

Example

© 2014 BRE

My

Wel

lbei

ng

My

Cos

t

My

Foot

prin

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Section Issues Stars Indicators

Inputs Outputs

© 2014 BRE

Our Surroundings- Transport

- Local Amenities

- Resilience to Flooding

- Recreational Space

- Ecology

- Security

- etc.

Knowledge Sharing- Aftercare

- Commissioning

- Smart Homes

- Post Occupancy Evaluation

- etc.

My Home- Air Quality

- Temperature

- Noise

- Materials

- Energy

- Space and Access

- etc.

© 2014 BRE

For Land Owners

- Encourage partnership between land owner and developer. Starts early discussion on quality

- Reassurance on outcome

- Can adds value to site (if land sold)

- Helps create long term great community and therefor value if land is retained.

© 2014 BRE

Accessibility of standard

© 2014 BRE

© 2014 BRE

WaterWat 1 Indoor water useWat 2 External water use

MaterialsMat 1 Environmental impact of materialsMat 2 Responsible sourcing of materials (Basic)Mat 3 Responsible sourcing of materials (Finishing)

Surface Water Run-offSur 1 Management of Surface water run-off from developmentsSur 2 Flood Risk

WasteWst 1 Storage of household recyclingWst 2 Construction site waste managementWst 3 Composting

PollutionPol 1 GWP of InsulantsPol 2 NOx

Health & WellbeingHea 1 DaylightingHea 2 Sound InsulationHea 3 Private SpaceHea 4 Lifetime homes

ManagementMan 1 Home User GuideMan 2 Considerate Constructors SchemeMan 3 Construction site impactsMan 4 Security

EcologyEco 1 Value of the siteEco 2 EnhancementEco 3 Protection of featuresEco 4 Change in valueEco 5 Building footprint

Knowledge Sharing26 Commissioning and Performance27 Quality and Improvement28 Considerate Construction29 Construction Energy Use30 Construction Water Use31 Site Waste

32 Aftercare33 Home Information34 Smart Homes

35 Post Occupancy Evaluation

Energy and CO2 EmissionsEne 1 Dwelling emission rateEne 2 Fabric energy efficiencyEne 3 Energy display devicesEne 4 Drying spaceEne 5 Energy labelled white goodsEne 6 External lightingEne 7 Low and zero carbon technologiesEne 8 Cycle storageEne 9 Home office

Our Surroundings01 Accessible Public Transport02 Alternative Sustainable Transport 03 Local Amenities

04 Ecology05 Recreational Space

06 Flood Risk07 Managing the Impact of Rainfall08 Security

My Home09 Indoor Pollutants10 Daylight11 Internal and External Noise12 Sound Insulation13 Temperature14 Ventilation

15 Energy forecast and Cost16 Decentralised Energy17 Impact on Local Air Quality

18 Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products19 Impact from Construction Products20 Life Cycle Costing of Construction Products21 Durability of Construction Products

22 Drying Space23 Access and Space24 Recyclable Waste

25 Water Efficiency

Evo

lutio

n of

issu

es

© 2014 BRE

UserHuus

Future of Standards

Public Profile

Launch Consultation HQM beta

Spring 20152014 +

Finance£

Summer 2015

Site Marketing

Weinerberger

Winter 2015

59 Presentations

Autumn 2015 Spring 2016

Software

Summer 2016

Full HQM Training

Existing Homes

Type Approval

Finance£

4000 Homes Registered

© 2014 BREWe welcome the launch of the HQM as independent, third party verification of the quality of new homes provides both property purchasers and funders with support in their decision making.

Independent, verified information

provides consumers with reassurance that they are making the right choice. 

I have been working for years to raise the benefits of healthy homes to the general public, it is great to see BRE’s Home Quality Mark helping to provide further informationOliver Heath TV presenter

© 2014 BRE

As featured in

Thank you

Presentations;

www.slideshare.net/HomeQualityMark

@homeqm

Visit www.homequalitymark.com