Press release – 7th October 2021
We are pleased to announce the publication of 14 new net zero and ultra-low energy new build housing case studies, developed thanks to funding from MCS Charitable Foundation. The exemplar projects will help to share best practice and learning within the GHA membership network and wider industry, in the lead up to COP26 and beyond.
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.
As stated in our Manifesto, we believe a holistic approach to sustainable housing development is required to build homes ‘fit for the future’. This is reflected in the case studies which showcase a range of sustainability issues including energy efficiency targets, embodied carbon data, material specifications and health & wellbeing aspects such as mitigating overheating and indoor air quality.
Building performance monitoring data has been sought to prove that the case studies perform as their design intended. If data is not currently available, we aim to periodically contact project teams to collect this information and update case studies accordingly.
A selection of the case study projects will be showcased at our annual conference on 19th November, 1-3pm, with an introduction from Adrian Ramsay, Chief Executive of MCS Charitable Foundation, who has been recently elected Co-Leader of the Green Party.
In addition to the case studies, funding from MCS has contributed towards the development of model clauses for Employer’s Requirements that will allow clients to set progressive targets for net zero housing, building performance and health & wellbeing outcomes. These new resources will be vital in supporting the work of our fast-growing local authority Vanguard and housing association Pathfinder networks, totalling over 25 members that are set to build 120,000+ new homes over the next 10 years.
The case studies can be viewed at the following link - https://kb.goodhomes.org.uk/case-studies/. The case study library is a live resource and is open to future submissions. If you would like to put forward your project for consideration, please contact Larry Tate, Communications Coordinator, Good Homes Alliance – larry@goodhomes.org.uk.
"The MCS Charitable Foundation is an independent UK charity seeking to accelerate the widespread adoption of renewable energy and low carbon technologies. We are pleased to support the Good Homes Alliance in publishing 14 new net zero and ultra-low energy new build housing case studies, and model clauses for Employer’s Requirements that will allow clients to set progressive targets for net zero housing, building performance and health & wellbeing outcomes. These are important additional resources for the GHA membership and the wider house building sector. These resources are particularly important when homes being built today are not required to install zero carbon heating or small-scale renewables like solar PV panels. As a result, new homes are being built with no renewable technology included, requiring them to be retrofitted if we are to meet our net zero obligations. MCS Charitable Foundation is campaigning for clear guidance to be written into the new Future Homes Standards and for this standard to be brought forward so that all new homes are powered by clean renewable energy systems."
With thanks to MCS Charitable Foundation