On 20 July 2021 the revised NPPF and the National Model Design Code were published. In addition, the Government formally launched the new Office for Place. The focus for the office will be to drive up design standards and support local communities to set their own design standards. This will
Research from build to rent specialists, Ascend Properties, shows that the UK build to rent sector has performed well during the pandemic year with planning permission requests rising by 52%. Build to rent (B2R) is becoming a driving force in the UK new-build market, and while the COVID-19 pandemic has
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics buildings and warehouses, has today announced plans to speculatively develop a further 2.3M sq ft of logistics warehousing space at strategic sites across the UK. The sites include: Mammoth 602 –a 602,000 sq ft logistics/warehouse unit at G-Park Doncaster situated directly off
THE CONSTRUCTION industry needs to rethink its approach to reusing and recycling buildings if it is to be seen as truly sustainable, according to a leading expert. David Cheshire, sustainability director for AECOM, told a recent webinar from property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle that reusing materials from demolition
Cat® 637K scrapers with push/pull attachment purchased as part of new equipment investment Earthmoving professionals Collins Earthworks has invested in several new Caterpillar machines, including four new Cat® 637K Coal Bowl Scrapers with push/pull systems. Finning UK & Ireland, exclusive distributor of Cat products, dispatched the new additions to the fleet,
NATIONAL contractor Willmott Dixon has completed work in June on the new and improved Warwick Arts Centre situated on the University of Warwick’s campus. The Arts Centre now boasts a large new building with a number of newly created spaces including three digital auditoria with high-end digital projection and sound, as well as a
Phase One of Milburngate is on course for completion in the first quarter of 2022. The latest milestone in the construction of the £120m Arlington Richardson development has been achieved with the completion of its structural steel frame. Comprising of 40,000 individual pieces of steel weighing a combined 3,800 tonnes,
Artists across the region are being given a boost thanks to a new digital event space that will showcase their talent to the city – Trinity Leeds will transform the former Topshop storefront on Briggate into ‘Trinity Stage’, complete with an impressive 6m wide digital screen. With the arts having
A Grade II listed Georgian family home, The Old Bakehouse, is for sale for the first time in over 50 years. Located in the picturesque village of Flintham in Nottinghamshire, The Old Bakehouse is one of the most characteristic and historic buildings in the village, which is within a protected
In recent years, there’s been a growing trend in smart technology for the home, with many homeowners upgrading their properties with all sorts of internet enabled features and devices that can be operated from a single interface such as a smartphone or tablet. Increasingly, contemporary homes have heating thermostats and
On 20 July 2021 the revised NPPF and the National Model Design Code were published. In addition, the Government formally launched the new Office for Place. The focus for the office will be to drive up design standards and support local communities to set their own design standards. This will be headed by Nicholas Boys Smith alongside a panel of twelve expert advisors. The think tank, Policy Exchange, hosted an event on Building Better Building Beautiful, with Robert Jenrick MP Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, Nicholas Boys Smith, Chair of Transition Board, Office for Place and Joanna Avery, Chief Planner for MGCLG. Following the publication of Building Better Building Beautiful two years ago the event on the 20th July focused on how the initiatives are being rolled out and implemented to deliver this vision. Community Involvement: co-design in a digital age The Office for Place will be responsible for the ‘Evolving Science of Place’, creating the tools, processes and tests to support beautiful places. A big focus will be on community involvement, asking communities what they like and how they wish to live. We are likely to see a move from light touch engagement to community co-design at key stages of the process. We imagine that digital platforms and visualisation, using software such as Vu.City, are likely to play a key role in truly engaging people. Cultural change: revolution or evolution? A key role of the Office for Place will be supporting the early pilot projects for the National Model Design Code. Fourteen are already being progressed and applications for ten more pilots open today. The implementation of the new Model Design Code requires a significant culture change in our ways of working and the institutional approach to the built environment. Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing and Communities, described it as a ‘generational change’. Jenrick went further, challenging the development status quo and suggesting that the changes will take power out of the hands of the big developers, giving less airtime for the consultants and the lawyers and more air time for local people. The future: more sustainable and more beautiful? Over the last two years there has been a lot of debate on beauty and the quality of our built environment. The approach to this is strengthened through the commitment to well designed, beautiful and more sustainable developments in the revised NPPF. There are many challenges to come. As an industry we have to take up the challenge to deliver new communities which leave a positive and long-lasting legacy.
Research from build to rent specialists, Ascend Properties, shows that the UK build to rent sector has performed well during the pandemic year with planning permission requests rising by 52%. Build to rent (B2R) is becoming a driving force in the UK new-build market, and while the COVID-19 pandemic has slightly slowed what looked to be a very impressive rate of growth, the B2R market has done an admirable job of recovering from the early shock to maintain positive momentum throughout a challenging year. Planning permission applications are a useful way to measure UK B2R performance because they show exactly how many developments are being conceived, how many of those result in permission being granted, and how many are either refused or withdrawn by the applicant. It enables us to examine both developer appetite and local authority willingness to push for a B2R boom in this country. The figures show that the pre-pandemic peak for B2R planning application approval came in Q2 2019 when 6,682 applications were submitted. Of these, 4,151, an all-time high of 62%, were granted full planning consent while 2,531, an all-time low of 38%, were either rejected or voluntarily withdrawn. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic began in Q1 2020, applications had risen to 7,900 submissions but the amount being granted was down to 52% while rejections and withdrawals rose to 48%. Q2 2020 brought a predictably significant slump for the sector. While the total number of B2R applications only fell slightly to 6,530, the approval rate dropped significantly to just 39%, while rejection and withdrawal jumped to almost 61%. However, from this point forward, the B2R sector quickly returned to a steady rate of growth. By Q1 2021, after a year of pandemic and lockdown, the B2R sector showed signs of being on the brink of a post-pandemic boom. An all-time high of 11,975 planning applications were submitted, up 52% on the year. Of these, 58% received full approval, a rise of almost 6% since the start of the pandemic, while 42% were either rejected or withdrawn, a drop of nearly -6% on the year. Managing Director of Ascend Properties, Ged McPartlin, commented: “It’s clear that build to rent is becoming the go-to choice for developers, with projects popping up both in major cities and smaller regional towns. “But what we’re also seeing is a clear uptick in willingness from local planning authorities to grant permission for build to rent developments. While developers sense high yield, low-risk opportunities, local authorities sense an opportunity to simultaneously meet the demand for new homes while rejuvenating and reinvigorating their economies and communities by introducing this new, dynamic way of living.” Table shows the ratio of UK BTR planning permissions granted and withdrawn during the pandemic, as well as the previous high for approvals (Q2, 2019) BtR planning application status Q2 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Pandemic Change Pandemic Change % Planning permissions granted – full planning consent gained 4,151 4,114 2,575 4,791 5,192 6,937 2,823 69% Withdrawn / refused 2,531 3,786 3,955 3,563 3,896 5,038 1,252 33% Total – estimated 6,682 7,900 6,530 8,354 9,088 11,975 4,075 52% Planning permissions granted – full planning consent gained % 62.1% 52.1% 39.4% 57.3% 57.1% 57.9% 5.9% Withdrawn / refused % 37.9% 47.9% 60.6% 42.7% 42.9% 42.1% -5.9% Data sourced from Gov.uk, Gov.scot, Gov.wales and Infrastructure-NI
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics buildings and warehouses, has today announced plans to speculatively develop a further 2.3M sq ft of logistics warehousing space at strategic sites across the UK. The sites include: Mammoth 602 –a 602,000 sq ft logistics/warehouse unit at G-Park Doncaster situated directly off junction 4 of the M18. 1m sq ft across 3 units of 200,000, 297,000 and 503,000 sq ft at Magna Park North, Lutterworth. 2 units of 117,000 and 140,000 sq ft at the new G-Park Milton Keynes development situated just one mile from junction 14 of the M1. 3 units of 26,000, 48,000 and 89,000 sq ft at the new G-Hub Crawley development strategically located for last mile logistics solutions. A 257,000 sq ft warehouse at G-Park Skelmersdale offering excellent access to M58 and M6 motorway. The units will each benefit from GLP’s best-in-class specification including wide service yards, significant HGV and car parking allocations, together with dock levelers, level access doors, increased natural light, electric vehicle charging and abundant power supply. Each development will be BREEAM Excellent, designed to WELL principles and feature a range of sustainability and energy efficiency measures that are designed to continuously improve GLP’s environmental aspirations. Bruce Topley, Managing Director, UK, GLP, said: “We are seeing continued strong customer demand for Grade A sustainable warehouse space in our market. This is primarily driven by the ongoing growth of ecommerce coupled with the need for supply chains to be improved further and significant supply constraints. These new developments are a response to that exceptional demand. “We are committed to investing in our portfolio and offering our customers as much choice and flexibility as possible to respond to their growth needs. We are also firmly focused on delivering buildings with less embodied carbon than industry standard and which reduce operational carbon emissions.”
THE CONSTRUCTION industry needs to rethink its approach to reusing and recycling buildings if it is to be seen as truly sustainable, according to a leading expert. David Cheshire, sustainability director for AECOM, told a recent webinar from property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle that reusing materials from demolition simply isn’t enough to offset the environmental and financial impact of acquiring them in the first instance. Cheshire said: “At the moment, we as an industry dig, mine and process hundreds of millions of tonnes of raw materials that we essentially steal from the planet. There is a focus generally on reducing things like operational energy use, but around half of all greenhouse gas emissions come from mining and processing resources. “We are also knocking down and demolishing buildings at a phenomenal rate, sometimes after only 30 years of use, so we’re losing at both ends of the scale. “While we congratulate ourselves as an industry for reusing large amounts of the waste products from demolition, it’s not ‘recycling’ in the truest sense of the word as the products don’t maintain their value. For example, structural concrete doesn’t get recycled into use as structural concrete; it is downcycled to secondary aggregates like road base or piling mats. While this is reuse, it’s not giving us the materials back that we spent so much energy getting in the first place.” Cheshire talked attendees through the basics of circular economy design principles for buildings and emphasised how its applications can improve sustainability throughout the supply chain. He said: “The current model the industry operates on is very much a linear approach – we win the resources, we use them, we throw them away and then the process starts over again. The circular economy looks to remedy this and find better, more sustainable ways of doing things. “The core of the model is retaining, refitting and refurbishing buildings. There are a number of design principles that feed into this, chiefly the idea of building in layers. There are thousands of components that make up buildings, all of which have different lifespans, so the circular economy model needs to work differently for each layer. “The foundations and structure of the building are long-life and should be around for a hundred years, but with the interiors, the thinking needs to be around reconfiguring for a new use rather than throwing everything out and starting again from base build. “Building in layers also means that you can peel those layers off as uses change. If you’re converting usage from office to residential for example, you might want to replace the facade, but equally it is thinking about how you’re putting everything together – you don’t want to have an electrical component that lasts 20 years hidden behind a ceramic tile that has a 2,000-year life. “If you can retain and refurbish a building and keep the main structure of it, there’s around a 50% reduction in embodied carbon over time in comparison to a new build, which is hugely significant.” Among the examples given by Cheshire was the work being done as part of The London Plan, which has several policies relating to the circular economy in the built environment. Cheshire said: “We’re working with the Greater London Authority on the inclusion of the circular economy in its wider plans. GLA policy now dictates that all referable projects much have a circular economy statement that sets out the project’s commitments against a series of targets. “Our cities and buildings are a gold mine of resources. We spend so much money, effort and time in bringing these resources out of our planet and into our cities, only to downcycle them once their original use is exhausted. “The circular economy goes hand in hand with the idea of urban mining and ensuring that we keep materials within the loop and reusing them to the best of our ability.” A full version of the webinar can be viewed here: For more information on Perfect Circle, please visit www.perfectcircle.co.uk.
Cat® 637K scrapers with push/pull attachment purchased as part of new equipment investment Earthmoving professionals Collins Earthworks has invested in several new Caterpillar machines, including four new Cat® 637K Coal Bowl Scrapers with push/pull systems. Finning UK & Ireland, exclusive distributor of Cat products, dispatched the new additions to the fleet, including a Cat D7, D9 and several D6 XEs to the company, to support the earthmover’s work around the Midlands. Collins Earthworks, based in Ripley, Derbyshire, has been managing earthworks projects for 20 years, developing a strong working relationship with Finning for the last 10–15. Due to this, Collins came to Finning with a need for machines to support its project on the Northampton Gateway and opted for the Cat 637 scrapers — machines rarely seen in the UK. Adding to the uncommon nature of these machines, Collins has also opted for push/pull systems, negating the use of trucks and excavators. The push/pull system concentrates the combined horsepower of the tractor and scraper onto one cutting edge, allowing two individual scrapers to act as a self-loading system — typically loading both machines in less than a minute, one after the other. “As we are continuing to work on various projects — big and small — throughout the UK, having the 637K scrapers in our fleet gives us the flexibility to fulfil any project efficiently” said David Collins, Managing Director of Collins Earthworks. “Earthmoving work comes in all shapes and sizes, and there is no “one fix for all” solution. Having a mixed fleet including the 637Ks, excavators and articulated dump trucks (ADTs) means that we have the versatility to complete any job, setting us apart from our competitors.” “It is amazing to see an investment into Cat 637Ks here in the UK — scrapers fill a niche in earthmoving that no other machine can compete with, and we haven’t seen these kinds of machines in the UK for a number of years” said Jake Wright, National Account Manager at Finning UK & Ireland. “A good fleet of scrapers can make it much cheaper than the number of excavators and trucks that would need to be used to move the same amount of dirt. “Convenience is also key here. An efficient groundworks operation with excavators and trucks will often take several people, whereas at a moment’s notice, one operator can get on the scraper and do the same job. For short distance bulk earthmoving they are lower cost and faster than any other haulage unit. I don’t think any other setup can compete with a push/pull tandem scraper setup in sand, gravel, clay or topsoil.” To get the most out of the new investment, Finning will also be providing Collins with machine familiarisation training on the wheeled-tractor scrapers, as well as operator efficiency training during a revisit in the next six months. The machines also benefit from an extended warranty and a full preventative maintenance program, so that Collins is safe in the knowledge that Finning experts will be on hand at any time of the day. To find out more about the Cat 637K Coal Bowl Scrapers or how Finning can assist with operator training and preventative maintenance, visit the Finning UK & Ireland website.
NATIONAL contractor Willmott Dixon has completed work in June on the new and improved Warwick Arts Centre situated on the University of Warwick’s campus. The Arts Centre now boasts a large new building with a number of newly created spaces including three digital auditoria with high-end digital projection and sound, as well as a ground floor gallery to exhibit contemporary art, sculpture and photography. The building also features a new foyer offering a larger, more environmentally friendly and attractive entrance for visitors, in addition to a new restaurant and bar to ensure the complete experience. The project also involved the refurbishment and upgrading of the existing building. The £25.5 million investment in Warwick Arts Centre was supported by an award of £4.2 million in National Lottery funding from Arts Council England and is a key venue in Coventry’s year of UK City of Culture in 2021. Designed by Ellis Williams Architects with Bond Bryan as delivery architect and project managed by Turner & Townsend, the project aims to make Warwick Arts Centre the region’s leading cultural centre and a place where creativity, collaboration and innovation thrive. Peter Owen, managing director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We are very pleased that, after a difficult time for the much-loved arts industry, Warwick Arts Centre will later this year be welcoming audiences back to a space that supports and enhances everything the arts has to offer. The project involved a number of challenges, not least the constraints of a tight site in the middle of campus and the changing requirements related to COVID-19, so a collaborative approach was vital. “We have a strong relationship with the University of Warwick, first established during our work on the University’s Oculus Building, then their Sports Hub and Wellness Centre in 2019, and earlier this year the IBRB. This means we are able to truly understand their campus vision and help make it a reality. “We are very proud to have become a trusted advisor to the University and to have built a relationship which allows us to contribute to the wellbeing and development of not only students but also the people of Warwickshire and beyond.” Throughout the project, the equivalent of £1.8 million of social value return on investment was delivered to local people by way of a number of community initiatives. Over 17,000 hours was spent supporting local young people with work experience opportunities, as well as 20 weeks with the University’s civil engineering students. Warwick Arts Centre is now a hybrid consisting of new and old, following the demolition of an existing section of the site. By matching the existing build and bringing together the new elements of the project seamlessly, there are now over 20 different roof levels on the site. Bruce Raw, Birmingham studio director at Bond Bryan, said: “We’re delighted to see Warwick Arts Centre completed. Our team are deeply passionate and proud of our growing presence and relationships across the West Midlands and this project has been at the heart of that drive for the last two years. “From start to finish the project has been a really positive team collaboration between client, end-users, architects, project managers, consultants and the contractor – with everyone all pulling in the same direction on what has been a very complex project on a constrained site, working closely together to solve challenges.” With the project beginning in 2019, followed by the closure of leisure, arts and entertainment venues for much of the last two years, the venue is all set to welcome audiences for shows beginning from October. Commenting on the completion of Warwick Arts Centre’s redevelopment its Director, Doreen Foster, said: “Today is a fantastic day for Warwick Arts Centre as we are now one step closer to welcoming visitors back to their arts centre. We cannot wait for our audiences to enjoy the experience and make new memories as they engage with the exceptional range of arts and culture that has always been our hallmark, including in our new spaces – such as our new three screen cinema, restaurant and the reimagined Mead Gallery. “With people throughout the UK and Europe set to visit our city to mark Coventry’s year as City of Culture, 2021 is set to be an exciting time for arts and culture in our region – and I’m delighted that we will be part of its success. I like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved with the redevelopment of Warwick Arts Centre for making this possible and ensuring that audiences and visitors will be able to join us for decades to come. We’re back, bigger and better than ever, and our doors will be open wider than ever before.” The University of Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart Croft, said: “Sat right at the heart of our main campus, Warwick Arts Centre has been an integral part of the cultural life of our University and region for almost five decades. As we celebrate Coventry City of Culture 2021, it is wonderful that Warwick Arts Centre will soon be open again for audiences and visitors to come and enjoy all that it has to offer.” Robert Freeman, Director of Ellis Williams Architects, said: “This is the culmination of many years of planning and working with Warwick Arts Centre and the University of Warwick and we are really excited to see the project completed. “The biggest design challenge we faced was to retain the unique character and top-light of the original Mead Art Gallery in the new galleries that was much loved by artists, whilst also providing new galleries at ground floor creating more accessibility to audiences and at the same time adding the three new large digital auditoria all on the original site. “We are extremely pleased that Willmott Dixon has completed the renewed Warwick Arts Centre in time for it to be part of Coventry City of Culture 2021.” Warwick Arts Centre is now taking bookings for shows from October. To find out more and to make a booking, please
Phase One of Milburngate is on course for completion in the first quarter of 2022. The latest milestone in the construction of the £120m Arlington Richardson development has been achieved with the completion of its structural steel frame. Comprising of 40,000 individual pieces of steel weighing a combined 3,800 tonnes, the key structures that will make up Phase One of Milburngate are now complete and visible on Durham City’s riverside. Following a 54-week build programme, the steel frames of the office building, hotel, boutique cinema, retail and leisure units, as well as the three apartment blocks, are now in place ready for external finishing and interior fitout to take place. The structural frame, which utilises 20,000 welded shear studs, is strengthened with 5,500 square metres of pre-cast concrete beams and supports over 100 flights of stairs through the development. More than 30 local operatives successfully delivered the steel work project with minimal delays to programme, despite the need to adhere to strict Covid safety guidelines including social distancing. Led by Milburngate’s main contractor Tolent, it was delivered in conjunction with County Durham-based constructional steel company Finley Structures and structural engineers Atkins. Allan Cook, managing director at Arlington said: “Erecting 40,000 pieces of steel in this timeframe in a sensitive riverside location such as Milburngate has its challenges, but to achieve this against the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic is testament to the expertise of our construction team and strength of their supply chain. “This is an important moment in the development of Milburngate, not only as a construction milestone, but also in terms of attracting new occupiers. They can now visit site and see first-hand the unique position Milburngate occupies on the riverside and experience the fabulous views we have created of the river and World Heritage site peninsular. “When they visit Milburngate they can now appreciate the important role it will play as a living, working and leisure destination in attracting people to Durham from across the region and beyond. This is certainly paying dividends with potential occupiers as interest in Milburngate has grown significantly in the first part of the year.” Michael Rutherford, project director for Tolent, said: “The completion of the steel frame programme is a significant milestone for the project and what you can now see on site is the best visual representation so far of just what a fantastic development this is going to be for Durham. “As the majority of the structures on site are now weather tight, we are progressing with internal fit out works of the apartment blocks, hotel and leisure and retail units. We recently passed 750,000 hours on site and have a workforce over 300 people which we continue to manage with health, safety and wellbeing as our number one priority.”
Artists across the region are being given a boost thanks to a new digital event space that will showcase their talent to the city – Trinity Leeds will transform the former Topshop storefront on Briggate into ‘Trinity Stage’, complete with an impressive 6m wide digital screen. With the arts having been hit particularly hard over the past 16 months, Trinity Leeds is doing its bit to shine a spotlight on the region’s artists and performers, where they will be given the chance to showcase videos of their work to a walk-by audience of around 30,000 people per day. It is hoped that the eye-catching Trinity Stage screen will publicise the work of hundreds of artists, from emerging talent through to established regional organisations during the summer. The centre is calling for artists, performers or organisations across the city to send videos of their work so it can be broadcast, free of charge, on Trinity Stage. For the opening day, content will include: ‘Aquaplane’, a short contemporary dance video featuring Max Revell that was created by Declan Creffield who is a videographer and photographer based in Leeds ‘Lockdown, Dance Up’ an online children’s dance project created using lockdown video calls by Leeds-based Union of Dance and supported by Arts Council England ‘Petite Boheme’ a 30-minute animated section of La Boheme created by Opera North during lockdown “We are thrilled to launch Trinity Stage and we hope to promote the incredible talents that the city of Leeds has to offer. Showcasing our region’s artists and performers is our way of supporting the arts, which is a sector that’s been hit so hard this last year and a half. Be it emerging artists starting out, or established performers and groups, we want Trinity Stage to be a celebration of the arts and a vehicle to help promote their work to a wider audience,” commented David Maddison, Trinity Leeds Centre Director.
A Grade II listed Georgian family home, The Old Bakehouse, is for sale for the first time in over 50 years. Located in the picturesque village of Flintham in Nottinghamshire, The Old Bakehouse is one of the most characteristic and historic buildings in the village, which is within a protected conservation area. On the market with selling agent FHP Living, the six-bedroom country property has been in the same family since it last came to the market and the beautiful house, maintained gardens and substantial outbuildings, offer a rare opportunity to create a magnificent family home in one of Nottinghamshire’s most desirable villages. The accommodation is extensive, with a dining kitchen and four well-proportioned reception rooms on the ground floor. This living space includes a kitchen, dining rooms, a snug, beamed family living room and an Amdega conservatory. There is a cellar and wine cellar, on the first floor are four doubled bedrooms, one with an ensuite, a family bathroom and separate WC. Two further double bedrooms are on the second floor. The Grade II home stands in a half-acre plot with carefully created cottage gardens, manicured lawns, feature topiary and outbuildings that include a double garage – accessed by a Yorkstone patio and pebbled driveway, barns and a garden store, all in keeping with the age of the property. There is also a seven-acre wildflower paddock which can be purchased by separate negotiation. “From the stunning look of the property with its traditional Georgian architecture, rambling roses, manicured lawns and large living spaces, there isn’t anything more you could desire from this incredible family home,” said selling agent Jules Hunt, director at FHP Living. “The love and care invested in this historic gem is obvious and you can really appreciate why a family has kept their much-loved home for so long. The property is beautifully proportioned with beams and airy rooms and the pretty gardens are the perfect setting for family get togethers. This is a really special property and being located in such a lovely and well-placed village, make it the ideal family home.” Flintham has largely remained the same since the Georgian era with Main Street showcasing traditional red brick pan tile properties. The village has a primary school, community cricket club and a pub. Newark Northgate Station is 8.2 miles away from The Old Bakehouse, with a train travel time into London of 1 hour 20 minutes and central Nottingham is 17 miles.
In recent years, there’s been a growing trend in smart technology for the home, with many homeowners upgrading their properties with all sorts of internet enabled features and devices that can be operated from a single interface such as a smartphone or tablet. Increasingly, contemporary homes have heating thermostats and lighting controls that can be operated and adjusted from anywhere, WiFi connected security systems with live video footage that can be viewed remotely and, of course, all manner of smart appliances including TVs, fridge freezers and dishwashers that can be controlled via a smartphone app or smart speaker devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Nest. According to recent survey findings, 57% of homes in Britain now contain at least one smart device, and there are 2.22 million homes in the UK with at least two smart devices. For sure, smart homes are the future, however most features are retrofitted after construction. With the current drive to substantially increase the nation’s housing stock in full swing, why are UK housebuilders not integrating more smart technology into new builds right from the design stage? Let’s take a look at some of the most common hurdles. Higher build cost: A complete smart home system can add 5% to the cost of the build with an unproven return on the investment for housebuilders in a highly competitive market. It’s a financial risk many developers are unwilling to take. What’s more, building a home with smart technology requires niche skills, materials and methodologies that are comparatively new to the housing industry, adding time and cost to the process. New ways of cooperating between smart home professionals, architects and site managers are required. Security concerns: According to industry figures, 86% of real estate pros are concerned about cyber attacks and the risk of hacking with smart home technology is on the increase. The more smart features and devices are used, the greater the vulnerability to the householder. Outdoor devices with embedded computers that have little in the way of security protocol pose the greatest risk, such as garage door openers and wireless doorbells are a case in point. Weak communication protocols and configuration settings may also be an issue for smartphone app controlled devices such as personal home assistants, smart thermostats and even baby monitors. Software problems: Software integration can become a real issue for systems that use incompatible technologies and won’t ‘speak’ to each other, or are unable to accommodate additional connections further down the line. With the co-existence of various communication protocols as the proliferation of ever more sophisticated smart devices continues, there is no guarantee that the latest tech used today won’t be obsolete in a few years’ time Again, it’s a financial risk that many housebuilders will want to avoid. On the other hand, it is clear that the emergence of smart home technologies over the last 20 years can no longer be considered a passing phase. Home automation has steadily increased in popularity since the early 2000s, and it might be unwise for the UK housebuilding industry to ignore this fast-growing demand among consumers wanting the latest technology in their homes. Here are some of the main benefits of smart new builds: Smart homes sell faster than comparative properties without the added features, and they fetch premium prices too, particularly among younger homebuyers. Survey findings show that 61% of millennials would pay extra money to live in a home with smart features. Reliable long-term performance of smart home systems is best achieved via upfront integration. Designing the entire system at the beginning will ensure smoother and more efficient operations as opposed to the piecemeal retrofitting of individual features. Greater vigilance offered via connected devices means homeowners are alerted to problems such as burglaries or fires early. This results in fewer home insurance claims and, in turn, potentially lower premiums. Smart homes enable the homeowner to cut down on energy waste such as lights left on or rooms heated unnecessarily, by up to a third. This can help UK housebuilders meet energy efficiency standards and build more sustainable homes. Smart home technology can be particularly beneficial to physically disabled and elderly residents. Home management tasks and home security all become much easier, creating more inclusive home environments. The fact that a growing number of home buyers are now prioritising technology in the home is a clear sign that there is an opportunity to maximise future profits for the UK housebuilding industry by building more smart homes. Not only is the Internet of Things already bringing the benefits of connected living to an increasing number of people, but the next generation of property buyers are looking for homes that align with their values. From environmentally conscious and energy-efficient solutions to more interconnected communications for work and home, smart homes are able to offer all that and more.
