Do people want high quality, sustainable homes?

Gwyn Roberts

New Homes and Communities Lead, BRE

© 2014 BRE

1. What do people want?2. How does HQM address this?3. Next steps

25 February 2015Introducing the Home Quality Mark 2

© 2014 BREIntroducing the Home Quality Mark

Do consumers want…..

BIM, nZEB, DSM, SAP?

Or do they want… Cosy, warm, happy, airy, family and security?

© 2014 BRE

3 pieces of consumer research

Introducing the Home Quality Mark

― MoneySupermarket

― Independent focus groups

― Surveys of people living in high performing homes.

In many cases their choice of home sees ‘heart’ dominate ‘head’.

HOWEVER, recognise it’s a critical decision and value objective information.

25 February 2015 4© 2014 BRE

© 2014 BREIntroducing the Home Quality Mark

What did we find out?Key areas that people were interested in (focus groups);

― Amenities, location and space

― Good quality and sense of community

― Designed and built to exceed their expectations, ensure a sound investment

― Noise

Do people want something extra?

― 96% of people had made changes to be more sustainable.

― Light and Airy

― Designed and built to exceed their expectations.

― Reassurance over running costs

© 2014 BRE

Why an independent mark?

Introducing the Home Quality Mark

― Trust

― Information “When I’m looking it will give me some pointers”

― Value

― 54% would prefer a home with independent mark, 43% would always prefer this.

― 1 in 5 people would pay more.

25 February 2015 6© 2014 BRE

© 2014 BRE

2. How does HQM address this?

25 February 2015Introducing the Home Quality Mark 7

© 2014 BRE

What makes a quality, sustainable home?

C0

2 EmissionsD

aylig

ht

PollutionAir Q

uality

Sound

Security

Energy Cost

Access for AllGrowing space

Water

EcologyFlood Resilience Local Amenities

Spac

e

Materials

Aftercare

DigitalIntuitive

Quality

Evaluation

Temperature

Communities

© 2014 BRE

#betterhomes

What is good?

© 2014 BRE

Home - A home is more than 4 walls and a roof, it is about hearts and minds.

Quality - Everybody wants quality, but doesn’t always know what it is.

Mark - Provides reassurance, independence, backed by science.

“Independent benchmarking of new homes is hugely important”.

Cala Homes Chief Executive Alan Brown

#betterhomes

© 2014 BRE

Why do we need the Home Quality Mark?

The Home Quality Mark is a new rigorous and relevant standard for new homes.

Provide consumers with the tools to make the smart choice when buying or renting a new home.

Enable housebuilders to differentiate their products and to articulate the benefits of new homes.

#betterhomes

© 2014 BRE

Housing Standards

Review

Code Legacy

sites only

Dual Level Building Regs +

Part Q

HQM Launch

Study Sites

Consultation HQM Operational

EU NZEB

Performance Gap ambition

March ‘152014 July ‘15 October ‘15 2016 2020

HQM Timeline

HQM Development

© 2014 BRE

Example

© 2014 BRE

My

Wel

lbei

ng

My

Cos

t

My

Foot

prin

t

Section Issues Stars Indicators

Inputs Outputs

© 2014 BRE

Our Surroundings- Transport

- Footprint and Layout

- Resilience to Flooding

- Recreational Space

- Ecology

- Security

- etc.

Knowledge Sharing- Aftercare

- Commissioning

- Smart Homes

- Post Occupancy Evaluation

- etc.

My Home- Air Quality

- Temperature

- Noise

- Materials

- Energy

- Space and Access

- etc.

© 2014 BRE

Next Steps• Technical consultation just closed

• Simplification and rationalisation

• Continue to develop links with financial bodies

• Further develop software and data

• Go Live! October 2015

Thank you

Presentations;

www.slideshare.net/HomeQualityMark

@homeqm

Visit www.homequalitymark.com