Press release – September 2021
The findings of a report that explored the potential of establishing a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub for Wales have been published.
Funded by the Welsh Government Collaborative Research and Innovation Support Programme (CRISP) and prepared on behalf of North Wales housing association ClwydAlyn, this scoping study has provided the foundations to consider the potential of a hub that that will help push Wales’ net zero housing ambitions. The report includes a foreword from Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change for the Welsh Government.
“This Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub scoping study shows that there is strong support from the housing sector for a government endorsed body where industry, academia and NGOs can collaborate to share research, debate the issues and help shape future policy. The Hub could therefore become a resource for all similar initiatives to ensure a cohesive and coherent direction.
“The Hub will also play its part in enabling a zero-carbon economic recovery that is purposefully aligned with the supply chain in Wales. Importantly for Wales, the Hub will enable the social housing sector to go zero early, bringing the benefits of low energy bills and healthy home environments to those that need them most. In short, the Hub will help facilitate and accelerate zero carbon high performance solutions that can be rolled-out at scale across all the housing sectors in Wales. We were delighted to be able to fund this scoping study and will give consideration to how we can support its implementation.”
“ClwydAlyn is leading on ground-breaking low carbon initiatives to develop high quality affordable homes to meet local needs across North Wales. Our mission is to beat poverty, by ensuring that homes are built to the highest environmental standards that tenants can afford to heat.
“Welsh Government have set out a challenging target for the housing industry to create net zero homes by 2050, and I hope that this scoping report will allow us to consider the potential to create a hub that will facilitate collaboration, allow us to share good practice and enable the testing and reviewing of different technologies and approaches.
“This report is a great step forward for the sector and will hopefully play a key role in allowing us to achieve a low carbon future.”
The study was completed in March 2021 and conducted by Nicola O’Connor (Mandarin Research) and Ross Holleron (Building Performance Network) for the Good Homes Alliance in collaboration with Woodknowledge Wales and the Sustainable Development Foundation.
The findings of the report include:
- The Hub would assist with accelerating the scale of delivery of zero carbon homes in Wales;
- The Hub would provide a transparent, enduring and dedicated forum for industry‐ government interaction and collaboration on zero carbon housing policy in Wales;
- The Hub would host tailor‐made forums for developers with similar delivery models/construction approaches to share learning and to benefit from collaboration;
- The Hub would hold relevant knowledge and information and would signpost parties to possible funding sources or technical expertise where necessary;
- The Hub would seek to identify specific knowledge and information gaps and training needs, to inform future Hub workstreams and national policy;
- The Hub would produce case studies to be showcased across the Hub’s network.
Download the report
The full report is available to view and download on the GHA Knowledge Base.
https://kb.goodhomes.org.uk/report/welsh-zero-carbon-housing-performance-hub
“The creation of a Hub, like the one proposed in this report, will help to provide a focus for all net zero ambitions within the housing sector, by working collaboratively to solve the issues and break down the barriers is the right route to follow, together the industry working with Government and experts can lead the way not just for Wales but for the UK as a whole.
“Our aim now is to secure further funding that will assist with the transition to performance-based outcomes and hopefully allow the Housing Sector to incrementally lower carbon and net zero targets for homes via a route-map to 2050.”
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.
Find out more about the Good Homes Alliance at https://goodhomes.org.uk.
About ClwydAlyn
ClwydAlyn was formed in 1978 as a non-charitable Registered Social Landlord. It now manages 6,200 homes and employs 750 people who work together to achieve their mission to beat poverty. Their homes and services include care and nursing-care; supported housing for people who’ve been homeless; and the provision of good quality, affordable homes. Working across North Wales (Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy, Wrexham, Powys, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey).
ClwydAlyn is much more than a social housing provider, they make a significant contribution to the North Wales economy both as an employer and as an investor; the procurement of local goods, trades, and services results in 80% being sourced locally, benefiting business, communities and suppliers.
ClwydAlyn is leading on ground-breaking low carbon initiatives. Not only using new technology to build innovative, low carbon new homes; they also form part of the Sero Optimised Retrofit project, utilising Intelligent Energy Systems to inform the retrofitting of existing homes; and they are passionate about establishing a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub in Wales, which will be fundamental to achieving a low carbon future.
Find out more about the ClwydAlyn at https://www.clwydalyn.co.uk.