Research & Guidance

Domestic Energy Solutions Primer - Energy Storage

Domestic Energy Solutions Primer – Energy Storage

As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign (Phase 2) Energy working group we are pleased to launch the 2nd part of a guide to domestic energy solutions. We would like to thank lead author Andrew Jeffryes, and Chris Brierley from Active Building Centre/Energy Systems Catapult for supporting this work.
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New design guide launched on shading for housing

New design guide launched on shading for housing

The Good Homes Alliance (GHA) and the British Blind and Shutter Association (BBSA) have launched a new design guide on shading for housing, seeking to embed a new culture – among building makers of all stripes – in which shading is central to a building’s design and built-in from the start.
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The Green Shift - Report launched on financial incentives for higher environmental performance of new homes

The Green Shift – Report launched on financial incentives for higher environmental performance of new homes

As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign Finance working group we have launched a report – “The Green Shift – The existing financial incentives for higher environmental performance of new homes”, authored by Rafe Bertram.
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Domestic Energy Solutions Primer - Energy and heat generation

Domestic Energy Solutions Primer – Energy and heat generation

As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign Energy working group we are pleased to launch a new introductory guide on domestic energy solutions. We would like to thank lead author Andrew Jeffryes, and Chris Brierley from Active Building Centre/Energy Systems Catapult for supporting this work.
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Net Zero Planning Policy Resource Hub

Net Zero Planning Policy Resource Hub

The Net Zero Planning Policy Resource Hub is now available as a web page, offering practical guidance for the adoption and implementation of forward-thinking policies within local authorities. This resource hub includes exemplary case studies, timelines, actionable steps, and valuable resources.
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New tool and guidance launched to tackle overheating risk in existing homes and retrofit projects

New tool and guidance launched to tackle overheating risk in existing homes and retrofit projects

Following a well-received overheating risk tool and guidance for new build homes, Good Homes Alliance is delighted to launch the final version of a new tool and accompanying guidance developed for existing homes and retrofit schemes.
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GHA authored Part O (2021) Technical Guidance published by Future Homes Hub

GHA authored Part O (2021) Technical Guidance published by Future Homes Hub

Vital technical guidance to support the new Overheating: Approved Document O 2021 (England) has been published by the Future Homes Hub. 
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Scoping report published for Welsh Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub

Scoping report published for Welsh Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub

The findings of a report that explored the potential of establishing a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub for Wales have been published.
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Vital new tool and guidance to tackle overheating risks in retrofit projects to be developed

Vital new tool and guidance to tackle overheating risks in retrofit projects to be developed

Following a well-received overheating risk tool and guidance for new build homes, the Good Homes Alliance is delighted to announce a project that will see a new version developed for retrofit schemes.
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New Model Employer’s Requirements and Design Brief clauses launched

New Model Employer’s Requirements and Design Brief clauses launched

We are pleased to announce the launch of new Model Employer’s Requirements and Design Brief clauses. The clauses are free-to-download and set minimum requirements for performance standards for energy (net zero), emissions, health, comfort and building performance evaluation.
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New Building Performance Evaluation Guidance

New Building Performance Evaluation Guidance

New guidance aimed at housing clients, and anyone interested in Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) who wants to evaluate and improve the performance of homes.
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Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub in Wales takes a step forward

Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub in Wales takes a step forward

North Wales housing association, ClwydAlyn, has secured funding from Welsh Government to explore the potential to establish a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub in Wales. The scoping study for this groundbreaking project will be carried out by the Good Homes Alliance in collaboration with Woodknowledge Wales and the Sustainable Development Foundation.
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Building Standards Compared

Building Standards Compared

The paper seeks to illustrate clearly how the choice of selecting a building standard affects the amount of renewable energy generation that is required to comply with a net zero operational outcome. The report does not take into account embodied energy/carbon. All energy and carbon modelling is illustrative but based upon real archetypes.
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Home Comforts during the Covid-19 Lockdown

Home Comforts during the Covid-19 Lockdown

The Good Homes Alliance worked alongside Place Alliance, Urban Design London, Urban Design Group, TCPA, Civic Voice and UCL on this study which investigates how the design of our homes and neighbourhoods effected our experience of the Covid-19 lockdown, and what lessons can be learned for the future.
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State of the Nation: Domestic Buildings

State of the Nation: Domestic Buildings

The Good Homes Alliance has been collaborating with the Building Performance Network on the ‘State of the Nation: Domestic Buildings’ research project. The research has been undertaken by Prof Rajat Gupta and the Low Carbon Buildings Research Group at GHA member Oxford Brookes University.
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GHA working with Woodknowledge Wales to develop BPE guidance for housing clients

GHA working with Woodknowledge Wales to develop BPE guidance for housing clients

The Good Homes Alliance is working with partners Woodknowledge Wales to develop Building Performance Evaluation guidance for housing clients including developers, housing associations and local authorities.
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Guide to sustainable development in community led housing

Guide to sustainable development in community led housing

This guidance, authored by architect Jon Broome for Community Led Homes, summarises the benefits of sustainability in community led housing and provides tips and tricks on getting support for sustainability matters at each stage of your project.
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Overheating in New Homes - Tool and Guidance

Overheating in New Homes – Tool and Guidance

A new tool and accompanying guidance which aims to help planners and design teams identify and mitigate overheating risks in new homes at an early stage.
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Buildings Mission 2030: GCB Recommendations

Buildings Mission 2030: GCB Recommendations

The Green Construction Board (GCB)’s response to the ‘2030 Buildings Mission’. The GCB Buildings Mission Taskgroup is being led by GHA Chair Lynne Sullivan OBE with the report sponsored by GHA Leader member BRE and the new Active Building Centre in Swansea.
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Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A Framework Definition

Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A Framework Definition

Good Homes Alliance is part of a task group that has inputted into a new report on net zero carbon buildings unveiled by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) at Houses of Parliament on 30th April 2019. It follows six months of industry engagement involving over 180 experts and stakeholders from across the built environment value chain.
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GHA collaborating with Building Performance Network for State of the Nation research

GHA collaborating with Building Performance Network for State of the Nation research

GHA has been collaborating with the Building Performance Network on this research project which aims to review existing domestic building performance evaluation studies and assessment methodologies and make recommendations for the future of BPE in the UK.
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Early stage overheating guidance

Early stage overheating guidance

The aim of our latest research project is to develop guidance and tools to help planners and design teams identify and mitigate the risk of overheating in housing developments at an early stage.
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The Policy Playbook: Driving sustainability in new homes - a resource for local authorities

The Policy Playbook: Driving sustainability in new homes – a resource for local authorities

Good Homes Alliance contributed to and endorsed this resource developed by UKGBC, in association with Core Cities UK, that is designed to help enable local authorities (LAs) drive up the sustainability of new homes. The ‘Policy Playbook’ focuses on energy & carbon, mitigating overheating risk, and the cross-cutting issue of assuring performance. There is also a section on viability and a set of case studies.
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Housing Innovation Showcase 2012 - BPE Results

Housing Innovation Showcase 2012 – BPE Results

This report presents a review of four years of delivered energy demand of selected dwellings at the Housing Innovation Showcase (HIS) developed by Kingdom Housing Association (KHA). It also includes results of the building performance bi-annual monitoring, used for comparing against design aspirational energy demand calculations.
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The Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide

The Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide

GHA contributed towards the development of ‘The Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide’ for the Greater Cambridge Housing Development Agency (HDA).
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Preventing Overheating - GHA Research Project funded by DECC

Preventing Overheating – GHA Research Project funded by DECC

This study aims to identify the factors present with known cases of overheating in England, to build a picture of the problem and to highlight the types of dwellings that could be at risk. It also investigates some of the solutions presently used to avoid and tackle overheating.
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GHA Monitoring Programme - Phase 2 Summary and Recommendations

GHA Monitoring Programme – Phase 2 Summary and Recommendations

This document focuses on the key results of the Phase 2 Post-Occupation Evaluation and compares the findings of the in-use performance data from the houses in terms of energy and water consumption and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), the performance of installed building services, and occupant behaviour/ perceptions. This project was funded by DCLG, EST and NHBC Foundation.
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GHA Monitoring Programme - Phase 2, Old Apple Store, Stawell

GHA Monitoring Programme – Phase 2, Old Apple Store, Stawell

The project is part of a larger brief to examine the as-built performance of a new-build energy efficient house (co-heating test, reported elsewhere) followed up by building performance monitoring of the occupied house using sensors combined with post occupancy evaluation (POE) questionnaires. This report details the findings from the monitoring and POE, and aims to extract enhanced meaning from each as aconsequence of the two programmes running in parallel.
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One Brighton - Phase 2, GHA Monitoring Programme

One Brighton – Phase 2, GHA Monitoring Programme

The project is part of a larger brief to examine the as-built performance of a new-build energy efficient house (co-heating test, reported elsewhere) followed up by building performance monitoring of the occupied house using sensors combined with post occupancy evaluation (POE) questionnaires. This report details the findings from the monitoring and POE, and aims to extract enhanced meaning from each as aconsequence of the two programmes running in parallel.
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Derwenthorpe - Phase 2, GHA Monitoring Programme

Derwenthorpe – Phase 2, GHA Monitoring Programme

The project is part of a larger brief to examine the as-built performance of a new-build energy efficient house (co-heating test, reported elsewhere) followed up by building performance monitoring of the occupied house using sensors combined with post occupancy evaluation (POE) questionnaires. This report details the findings from the monitoring and POE, and aims to extract enhanced meaning from each as aconsequence of the two programmes running in parallel.
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Camden Passivhaus - GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

Camden Passivhaus – GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

This evaluation was conducted under the Technology Strategy Board’s Building Performance Evaluation programme. To determine the effectiveness of the design and delivery strategy in Camden Passivhaus, real fabric performance indicators were tested to compare these results with anticipated performance.
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Community in a Cube - GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

Community in a Cube – GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

This case study examines a one bed, 42m2 apartment on the 5th floor of the CIAC development. This apartment was completed in December 2011, and the study ran from February 2012 to June 2013. This evaluation was conducted under the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Building Performance Evaluation programme.
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One Brighton - GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

One Brighton – GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

This case study presents the findings of a Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) project that investigated the post-construction and in-use performance of the One Brighton development. The evaluation was carried out by University College London (UCL), funded by the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Building Performance Evaluation programme.
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Racecourse Estate - GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

Racecourse Estate – GHA BPE Study funded by TSB

This case study examines two Passivhaus bungalows at the Racecourse development: one mid-terrace and one end-terrace. The evaluation of these dwellings was conducted under the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Building Performance Evaluation programme.
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One Brighton, Design for Future Climate - GHA Research Project funded by TSB

One Brighton, Design for Future Climate – GHA Research Project funded by TSB

This report considers a retrofit adaptation strategy to reduce the risk of overheating in a contemporary apartment block, One Brighton. The project is unique in the TSB Design for Future Climate Portfolio in two respects. Firstly, it is the only study, which is considering pure retrofit as opposed to new-build or more large-scale refurbishment of a building. Secondly, it builds upon the work of the TSB Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) Programme already undertaken for the development.
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Ventilation and good indoor air quality in low energy homes - GHA Research Project funded by NHBC Foundation

Ventilation and good indoor air quality in low energy homes – GHA Research Project funded by NHBC Foundation

This report presents results and recommendations following research into examples of good practice in ventilation and indoor air quality for new homes. The aim is to inform and support the work of teams involved in procuring, designing and building low energy homes, by providing clear information highlighting good practice in ventilation and indoor air quality.
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Phase 1 Summary and Recommendations - GHA Monitoring Programme funded by DCLG, EST, NHBC Foundation

Phase 1 Summary and Recommendations – GHA Monitoring Programme funded by DCLG, EST, NHBC Foundation

This report provides an overview of the findings, observations and recommendations resulting from Phase 1 of the Good Homes Alliance (GHA) monitoring programme. Phase 1 is based on post-construction testing of a series of new-build residential projects, across a range of construction types.
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