Following on from the success of the Good Homes Alliance (GHA) Vanguard Campaign and Network, the GHA and the National Energy Foundation (NEF) have launched a new Pathfinder membership network for progressive housing associations.
The main aim of the network is to facilitate housing associations in adopting enhanced sustainability, quality, health and performance standards for new housing developments. As with the GHA Vanguard Network, this will be achieved via the sharing of learning and best practice, creation of new resources and guidance, and by conducting original research and demonstration projects.
The network runs alongside NEF’s revamped SuperHomes retrofit network, with members benefitting from a dual membership offer and sustainable development expertise for both new-build and existing housing stock. The SuperHomes network is set to be formally launched on 29th April and will deliver a tiered rating scheme for domestic retrofits on energy performance and comfort. To achieve a SuperHomes rating twelve months evaluation and monitoring will be required.
The network is kindly supported by six founder members – Abri, Aster Group, Greenoak, LiveWest, Raven Housing Trust and VIVID, who between them represent over 150,000 existing homes and 50,000 new homes to be developed in the next 10 years.
The network met for a first ‘Member’s Meeting’ in February 2021 and has already started inputting into some important activities, such as the development of Model Employer’s Requirements for net zero and healthy homes.
During the next 12 months, the GHA are seeking to grow the Pathfinder Network throughout the UK, with the aim of recruiting 20-25 housing association members by the end of 2021.
For more information about the GHA Pathfinder Network and to get involved, please contact Julian Brooks, Programmes Director – julian@goodhomes.org.uk, 0330 355 6274.
For more information about the NEF SuperHomes Network, please contact Sandra Hayes, Director of Development – sandra.hayes@nef.org.uk, 07778205007
“We are delighted to be launching the new Pathfinder Network alongside NEF and the six founder members. Building upon the success of our Vanguard Network, the new network will allow us to share learning and best practice between nearly 30 forward-thinking local authorities and housing associations, plus over 80 cross-sector members within our wider membership network.
Our aim is to continue to grow both networks throughout 2021, and we believe this collaborative approach will help to accelerate the delivery of net zero, high-performance, healthy homes. Plus, with the dual membership offer with NEF’s revamped SuperHomes Network, the pressing issue of sustainable retrofit will be addressed in tandem.”
Julian Brooks, Programmes Director, Good Homes Alliance
“We are very pleased to be working together with the Good Homes Alliance and the six founder members on the launch of the Pathfinder Network. By working together, we are better able to support Housing Associations meet their sustainability aims, whether these relate to their existing stock or to their plans for new build.
NEF has been particularly pleased to work with some of the founder members on piloting the new SuperHomes Rating Scheme so that it works for both individual homeowners and landlords. We look forward to further collaborations with members on retrofit topics in the near future.”
Sandra Hayes, Director of Development, National Energy Foundation
“Having launched our environmental commitments and targets in the last 12 months, LiveWest recognise the impact of our organisation and are fully committed to developing sustainable high-quality homes and neighbourhoods.
We are delighted to be a founding member of the GHA Pathfinder Network and are looking forward to collaborating with our partners to identify solutions and develop best practice through shared learning.
Sustainable homes, neighbourhoods and communities are at the heart of our key commitment which is to deliver a home for everyone, and joining the GHA Pathfinder Network is a further step in our journey to delivering these commitments.
We have said we will increase energy efficiency, reduce our carbon footprint and improve living costs for our customers. We firmly believe that collaboration is the key to being able to deliver these commitments quicker and are excited to share our experiences and learn from our partners.”
Glynnis Poole, Planning and Technical Director, LiveWest
About the Good Homes Alliance (GHA)
The Good Homes Alliance is a cross-sector membership organisation with over 80 members and partners that include, architects, developers, local authorities, housing associations, urban designers, consultants, building professionals, suppliers and more.
The GHA’s aim is to promote and encourage the building of quality sustainable homes and communities and to transform the whole of mainstream UK house building into a sustainable endeavour.
The GHA promotes higher quality sustainable housing and standards via collaborations with industry and government, creating active knowledge exchange networks, sharing best practice, running events, leading campaigns, lobbying for change, partnering on research and commissioning publications.
About the National Energy Foundation (NEF)
The National Energy Foundation is an independent, national charity which has been at the forefront of improving the use of energy in buildings for more than 30 years. We aim to give individuals, organisations, communities and government the knowledge, support and inspiration they need to understand and improve the use of energy in buildings.
We do this through:
- Delivering practical projects – using our experience and technical expertise.
- Inspiring action – providing building owners and occupiers with the encouragement, advice and real-life examples to achieve better performing buildings.
- Advancing knowledge – supporting collaboration to drive forward the frontiers of knowledge, innovation and practice.
- Identifying and addressing market failures using evidence, analysis and ideas.
Everything we do, we do to achieve this aim.
Find out more about the National Energy Foundation at http://www.nef.org.uk.