The Case for consumer driven high quality homes

Gwyn Roberts

Homes and Communities Lead, BRE

© 2014 BRE

1. The Government Challenge2. The Consumer Challenge3. How HQM addresses the Challenges

© 2014 BRE

1997 to 2010

Big Government Climate Change

Act

2010-2016 2016+

Devolution

Zero Carbon Homes

Austerity

Numbers of Homes

Shrinking Government

Deregulation Act

Paris COP 21

“Quality” of Homes

BREXIT

Smarter Homes

Uncertainty

Stronger Consumer Drive?

2. The Consumer Challenge

© 2014 BRE

4 pieces of consumer research

Introducing the Home Quality Mark

― MoneySupermarket

― Independent focus groups

― Surveys of people living in high performing homes.

― Grand Designs survey

Choice of home sees ‘heart’ dominate ‘head’.

HOWEVER, value objective information.

25 February 2015 5© 2014 BRE

© 2014 BRE

What did people say?

Amenities, location and

space

Community

Sound Investment

Good quality

Exceed Expectations

Reassurance over running

costs

NoiseLight and Airy

96% made changes to

be more sustainable.

Need for clear

controls

Temperature

© 2014 BRE

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

― Over 90% people would prefer a home with independent mark.

― 1 in 5 people would pay more.

― 75% would pay £750 or more per home for certification. Of this 13% would pay £3000

25 February 2015 7© 2014 BRE

Consumer Trust

3. How HQM addresses the challenge

© 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

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

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

- Local Amenities

- 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

© 2014 BRE

UserHuus

Future of Standards

Public Profile

Launch Consultation HQM beta

Spring 20152014 +

Finance£

Summer 2015

Site Marketing

Weinerberger

Winter 2015

59 Presentations

Autumn 2015 Spring 2016

Software

Summer 2016

Full HQM Training

Existing Homes

Type Approval

Finance£

9000 Homes Registered

© 2014 BREWe welcome the launch of the HQM as independent, third party verification of the quality of new homes provides both property purchasers and funders with support in their decision making.

Independent, verified information

provides consumers with reassurance that they are making the right choice. 

I have been working for years to raise the benefits of healthy homes to the general public, it is great to see BRE’s Home Quality Mark helping to provide further informationOliver Heath TV presenter

© 2014 BRE

As featured in

Thank you

Presentations;

www.slideshare.net/HomeQualityMark

@homeqm

Visit www.homequalitymark.com