New homes 'think tank', The Futures Group, has published a detailed report setting out the industry’s agreed view on how to rise to the challenge of delivering better homes for the consumer.

The groundbreaking report, Building Better Homes for the Customer, brings together a wide cross-section of key decision makers involved in the construction of new homes to deliver a joined-up positive response to the low carbon challenge.

The report sets out several clear recommendations which are practical and financially sound solutions aimed at a structured step change towards the goal of building sustainable homes on a mass-market scale.

Industry experts believe this will be best delivered using tried and tested materials, techniques and approaches. The report details the immense investment the industry has made in exemplar projects as part of its commitment to explore what is possible and learn from the experience.


National house builders, manufacturers and regulatory bodies working in the Group also warn that moves to amend Part L of the Building Regulations in 2013 need to be reconsidered. With less than 1000 homes built to Part L 2010 there has been little or no opportunity to measure the outcomes.

The group has particular concerns about indoor air quality and suggests that instead of continually moving the goal posts more time is needed to evaluate the effect of current regulations and make sure that the SAP tool is revised to deal effectively with matters such as summer overheating.

The report stresses that the upheaval of driving through changes next year will detract from the more important goal of delivering “low carbon homes” that stand the test of time.

The Futures Group argues priority must be given to defining the testing methods for measuring housing energy performance to build up a body of reliable and trusted benchmark data.

Set up by the Modern Masonry Alliance and Home Builders Federation four years ago, the Group also wants to reduce red tape and remove unnecessary duplication of regulations by bringing parts of the Code for Sustainable Homes into existing regulations.

Mike Leonard, Director of the Modern Masonry Alliance, said: "Building better homes for the Consumer is the sole objective of The Futures Group.

"This diverse Group of industry experts represents the entire home building process. Through collaborative working for the common good this report sets out a number of clear recommendations for Government to consider in relation to the future delivery of homes."

(GK)