Summary
With a government commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes, the real challenge isn’t just building more, it’s building homes people actually want and trust. This webinar explores how we can futureproof housing from day one, using resilient design and robust construction methods embedded from the ground up to deliver comfortable, healthy and energy efficient homes that stand the test of time, now and into the future.
Drawing on insights from Homes 2025: A National Conversation, a UK-wide survey of 5,000 people, the session highlights a clear shift in priorities: while affordability remains the top concern (64%), people are increasingly focused on build quality, comfort and durability, alongside growing concerns around damp, safety and energy costs, and a lack of trust that new homes will consistently deliver on these fundamentals.
The session will be led by Helen Raymond, Senior Sustainable Design Architect, and Elaine Toogood, Senior Director at The Concrete Centre, who will share practical insight on how design decisions, material choices and construction approaches can better respond to what people actually need from their homes.
“The housing debate is dominated by completion rates rather than focused on the priorities of the people that are going to live in – and ultimately buy and rent – new homes. Our report underlines the value that people put on the fabric quality and performance of their home to deliver energy efficiency but also to protect against damp, mould, flooding and fire.”
Elaine Toogood, Senior Director, UK Concrete & The Concrete Centre, MPA
Key details
- Date: Tuesday 28th April 2026
- Timings: 13:00-14:00
- Location: Online (Zoom)
- Registration: Free for GHA members, £15+VAT for non-members.
Speakers
Helen Raymond, Senior Sustainable Design Architect at The Concrete Centre, MPA
Helen is an Architect with over 20 years’ experience in Practice and is an advisor to The Concrete Centre. Helen has a post graduate certificate in Energy and Sustainable Building Design and previously worked as Joint Head of Sustainability for the Architecture team in a large multidisciplinary consultancy. Helen’s key focus is sustainable housing and is a firm advocate for ‘less is more’, design efficiency and passive strategies, with a strong focus on thermal mass, thermal comfort, daylighting and resilience.
Elaine Toogood, Senior Director at The Concrete Centre, MPA
Elaine leads the concrete team within the Mineral Products Association. This includes responsibility for The Concrete Centre, UK Concrete, MPA Precast, MPA Masonry, MPA Ready-Mixed Concrete and MPA Mortar. Elaine is a qualified architect with 30 years’ experience of working as a construction professional in the built environment. Elaine regularly contributes to working groups and committees related to environmental sustainability.
This webinar is supported by the Concrete Centre
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