ACTIVITIES
The delivery of phase two outputs was facilitated by a number of working groups focussing on the campaign themes. Each theme is ‘championed’ by an expert GHA board member and tasked with delivering a targeted and much-needed output that will help accelerate the delivery of net zero housing.
The working groups were open to all GHA members and invited experts, including clients, architects, consultants, developers and supply chain organisations, and complimented by a series of events, workshops and case studies.
A steering group launched in May 2022 which set the focus for the working groups, events and campaign outputs. The steering group consisted of the GHA executive team, expert board members and campaign sponsors.
Completed outputs include:
– Model Employer’s Requirements and Design Brief Clauses (Phase 1)
– 15 net zero and low energy housing case studies (Phase 1)
– Domestic Energy Solutions Primer – Energy and heat generation
– Manifesto – 10 Steps to Accelerate Net Zero Housing Development
– Net Zero Planning Policy Resource Hub
Proposed outputs for future phases of the campaign include:
– Guidance on holistic financial approaches to net zero development
– Building Performance Evaluation training materials for QA/BPE assessors
– Residents’ feedback/engagement with new technology e.g. ASHP
– Guide to net zero viability assessments (for planners)
– Research exploring quality of placemaking in net zero developments
– Research exploring tension between net zero planning policy and practice
– Launch of Build Net Zero Now campaign at Good Homes 2020 Conference: A Net Zero Recovery including keynote speaker Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Climate Change.
– A year-long series of topical events exploring topics such as net zero and embodied carbon, MMC and green finance. The event series culminated in the Build Net Zero Now Conference Series, featuring keynote speaker Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change, Welsh Government.
– An event on ‘Net Zero and Community Led Housing’ featuring Ecology Building Society speaking on their support for community led housing schemes.
– A popular webinar co-hosted with TCPA – ‘Local Authorities Leading the Way’.
During phase one of the campaign, we published 14 new net zero and ultra-low energy new build housing case studies, thanks to funding from MCS Charitable Foundation. The exemplar projects help to share best practice and learning within the GHA membership network and wider industry.
The case studies can be viewed on our Knowledge Base and showcase a range of construction methodologies and low energy building approaches, including net zero targets as defined by the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and RIBA in their 2030 Climate Challenge.