What's New

Housing Forum Working Groups

The Housing Forum Board has requested three of its board members to set up working groups on the following topics to explore some of the main issues currently facing housing construction

• "Increasing Innovation in the Supply of New Homes" chaired by David Birkbeck, Chief Executive of Design for Homes.
• "Customer Satisfaction and Design" chaired by Barry Munday, Chairman of PRP Architects.
• "Innovation and Financial Models for Improving the Existing Stock" chaired by Dave Smith, Executive Director of Wates Construction .

Refabulous Homes Revamps The Terrace 16th May 2005, 2-6pm - London

A seminar at The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London, WC1

Why is a terraced home well heeled in the South, but down at heel in the North? How much do you pull down to make a VAT-rated terrace refurb zero-rated new-build?

The key ingredient of city housing for more than two centuries, "The Terrace" is at a crossroads. In areas of low demand it is historical baggage to be knocked down. In areas of high demand, it performs poorly when converted. The seminar includes analysis of The Terrace's structural form and social position, plus case studies highlighting creative approaches to its rehabilitation.

For a list of speakers please click here

National Audit Office Workshops on Using Modern Methods of Construction to Deliver Homes More Quickly and Efficiently

The Housing Forum is hosting 4 workshops between April and June convened on behalf of the National Audit Office. The workshops will provide feedback on model costed project plans for offsite and conventional methods of construction which will then be collated into a report for use by the government, housing professionals and the housing industry on the relative costs and benefits of different housebuilding approaches.

Design for Manufacture Competition

English Partnerships announced details on 1 April of the Design for Manufacture Competition along with the first four sites which will be used to pilot the construction of sustainable, well-designed, good quality homes for around £60,000 (excluding land and infrastructure costs.) The competition is being run by English Partnerships on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

For more details please click here

Membership News

The current package of benefits for Housing Forum members is set out in "Housing Forum: a prospectus for the future within Constructing Excellence 2004 - 2006"

Following the Constructing Excellence merger with Be (Collaborating for the Built Environment) in April this year, the membership packages will be reviewed after a survey of all members within the coming month, with a view to introducing a new membership package from April 2006.

More about Be

Demonstration Exemplar

Places for People Developments Ltd 4 Sites East Midlands, Leicester and Nottingham

Project Number: 1125

Description: The design and construction of 4 general needs houses and 12 bungalows for the elderly over four sites in the East Midlands. The dwellings were constructed utilising off-site manufactured modules on traditional substructures. Drainage, infrastructure and external works were also constructed traditionally.

• This was the first social housing project to utilise the e-house® manufactured by Elliott Group Ltd using off-site manufactured modules that arrive on site externally brick clad.
• The innovations on this project were geared on productivity from substructure completion to handover and reducing greatly the overall time on site.
• Contract conditions were amended in order to simplify payment mechanisms. Payments were triggered by two stages being completed; delivery of the modules; and practical completion. Stages were verified by the use of digital images e-mailed to the Employer's Agent.

For more information please click here

Events

Construction Industry Sustainability Forum Breakfast Briefings

26th May - Making the most of our built environment- Reuse and refurbishment of our existing building stock

For further information please click here

CONFERENCES- ADVERTISED ON BEHALF OF HOUSING FORUM MEMBERS

24th May - Affordable Housing - Dilemmas and Real Solutions for Public and Private Sectors
A one day conference hosted by RICS and Bucknall Austin. Holiday Inn Filton, Bristol. Please see flyer for details.

Contact details

The Housing Forum, Constructing Excellence, Warwick House, 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PP.

The following people on these numbers:

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