Sustainable, Affordable Housing

Tuesday April 28th 2009, One Great George Street - London, 09:00 - 16:15

Striking the Balance Between Affordable and Sustainable Housing

"This Government is committed to practical action to help those most affected by the current state of the housing market. We are working to make sure everyone struggling to pay the mortgage gets support and advice. We are giving a leg-up to first-time buyers keen to own a place of their own. And by bringing forward our investment in social housing, we are both getting more decent, affordable housing ready for people to live in sooner, and helping the house building industry weather tough times."

Hazel Blears, Communities Secretary, September 2008

Overview

With the credit crunch hitting hard, the housing market looking worrying and the government wanting to change climate change targets, the direction of future housing plans looks uncertain.

With housing responsible for 27 per cent of England’s carbon emissions, the housing sector has a key role to play in combating climate change. The Government’s Housing Green Paper– Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable, 23 July 2007, sets out to improve the housing fabric of our society by aiming to provide:

More homes to meet growing demand;
Well-designed and greener homes, linked to good schools, transport and healthcare;
More affordable homes to buy or rent.

The green paper stresses the need to build better homes, built to high standards, both in terms of design and environmental impact. These new homes are to be part of the solution to climate change; not part of the problem.

Simultaneously the government must not only find a way to make homes more sustainable but more affordable, especially during this time of economic crisis. House prices have doubled in real times in the last decade. The average now costs over £210,000, over 8 times the average salary. The credit crunch has made it even more difficult for young people and families to buy their own home and get on the property ladder. The government plans to introduce an £8 billion programme for affordable housing in 2008-11 and aims to have more than 70,000 affordable homes a year by 2010-11.

With the establishment of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), affordability and regeneration is at the forefront of the housing agenda. Improving services for tenants, and making sure they have a strong voice, is at the heart of the work of the Authority. Equally, the HCA will be fundamental in driving forward the Government's housing and regeneration programme for England. However, for the housing agenda to move forward it essential that services are joined up from all levels and that local authorities work with the new Agencies.

Agenda

This forum will explore the challenges in increasing supply of housing; providing well designed and greener homes that are supported by infrastructure yet at the same time providing more affordable homes to buy or rent.

09:00	Coffee and Registration
09:50	Chair’s Welcome Address Ruth Reed , President Elect , Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
10:00	Morning Keynote Address: Government's Housing Targets - Are we on target to deliver? Government Action in the Downturn: Stimulating house building activity Help for the vulnerable Help for first time buyers Long-term recovery Better and more energy efficient homes Richard McCarthy, Director General, Housing and Planning, Communities and Local Government
10:15	Questions and Answers Session Richard McCarthy, Director General, Housing and Planning, Communities and Local Government
	Delivering Sustainable Housing
10:30	Delivering Sustainable Housing that Meets the Needs of the Community Ensuring new homes meet design and environmental quality standards and are integrated with existing communities Ensuring new homes are supported by infrastructure, employment and town centre regeneration Achieving growth and meeting local needs Working with RSL’s and housing authorities to deliver local housing policy National Affordable Housing Programme Investing in skills and enterprise Stephen Oakes, Director, Homes and Communities Agency
10:50	Delivering Sustainable Communities How do we attract the right skills to the industry and how can we inspire those existing professionals within the design, construction and development sector already to take on the challenge of delivering zero-carbon housing and eco-towns? Response to the climate change act The adoption of sustainable development standards Building regulations and design Preparing the construction industry Next steps for the Green Buildings Council John Alker, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, UK Green Building Council
11:10	Coffee and Networking
11:30	Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment The retrofit imperative The need for a step change in household energy behaviour Delivering innovative solutions in technology, infrastructure and ICT Localising energy infrastructures: breaking the "lock-in" to the national gas and electricity infrastructures Professor Yvonne Rydin, Chair of the SEMBE Project's Expert Panel, Foresight & Professor of Planning, Environment and Public Policy at University College London's Bartlett School of Planning
11:50	Delivering Well Designed Sustainable Houses in an Economic Down turn Building homes for life Embedding green design into new build Sustainable use of resources – water, energy Building and designing homes that meet the needs of home owners Matt Bell, Campaigns and Education Director, The Commission for Architecture and Built Environment (CABE)
12:10	Questions and Answers Session
13:00	Lunch and Networking
	Delivering Affordable Housing
14:00	Afternoon Keynote: Affordability in a Changing Economic Climate Impact of the credit crunch on affordable homes delivery target and demand Combating the threat of repossession and homelessness Building capability – resourcing and preparing for response How can housing providers minimise risks during this uncertain time? Financial advisory support for tenants (help for potential owners hoping to get on the ladder, arrears management etc) Funding Clare Miller, Executive Director, Governance and Viability, Tenant Service Authority
14:20	Role and Challenges Housing Organisations and Professionals Face in Delivering Affordable Housing Implications of the credit crunch and its impact on delivering affordable homes How can housing associations and other key players overcome the challenge and deliver the long-term vision of affordable housing Preventing repossession for the vulnerable Options open to local authorities to take a proactive approach Credit Crunch: Councils and Housing Solutions Abigail Davies, Head of Policy, The Chartered Institute of Housing
14:40	Coffee and Networking
15:00	Delivering Affordable Homes in Sustainable Rural Communities How decision makers in local government and the industry can work in partnership to overcome the challenges of delivering economical and sustainable homes in rural communities. Matthew Taylor MP
15:20	Homes for the Future: More Affordable, More Sustainable: Striking the Balance Housing supply and strategy - meting the PSA targets Implementing the Code for Sustainable Homes Response to the code – principles of good design and planning The modernisation of existing housing stock Sustainable Regeneration and Design Future of Eco-Towns Housing and Regeneration Act Henry Cleary, New Homes and Sustainable Development , Communities and Local Government
15:40	Questions and Answers Session
16:15	Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Audience

Delegates will be drawn from local authorities, housing associations, RSLs, social services, voluntary sector, energy and construction industry, trade unions, environmental groups, think tanks, businesses and employers, regional development agencies, local strategic partnerships, local, NGOs, housing organisations, academia and legal & voluntary including: directors of housing, directors of social services, heads of policy, head of family services, head of housing needs, supporting people teams, housing and community directors, prevention and option managers, housing strategy officers, housing supply officers, housing providers, mental health advisors and all those with an interest in the housing agenda.

Sustainable, Affordable Housing

Tuesday April 28th 2009, One Great George Street - London, 09:00 - 16:15

Striking the Balance Between Affordable and Sustainable Housing

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