How HQM shapes the future of social housing

Overview

The City of London Corporation is pioneering in its use of BRE’s Home Quality Mark (HQM) to drive sustainability in its new social housing developments. Building upon the trusted BREEAM science, HQM offers a detailed and independent evaluation of new homes, focusing on quality, sustainability, and occupant wellbeing. 

The City Corporation’s Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate projects are at the forefront of this initiative, aiming to deliver over 200 new homes for social rent that set new benchmarks for quality and sustainable living. 

"Incorporating HQM into our Housing Design Guide reflects our commitment to high-quality social housing. It ensures our developments not only meet but exceed sustainability goals, providing homes that benefit both residents and the broader environment." 

Michael Gwyther-Jones, Head of New Developments & Special Projects 

By embracing HQM, the City Corporation is making a clear statement: sustainability and resident well-being are paramount. This alignment is especially evident in the Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate developments, which embody HQM's comprehensive sustainability framework. This approach is not just about environmental metrics; it's about creating homes that promote healthier living and community engagement, demonstrating the Corporation's proactive stance in shaping the future of urban housing. 

About

The City Corporation’s commitment to sustainable urban housing is exemplified by two notable developments: Sydenham Hill Estate, Lewisham, and York Way Estate, Islington.

The Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate developments stand as exemplary models of sustainable social housing. Completely composed of social housing units, these projects are not intended for sale, reflecting a deep commitment to community welfare. What sets them apart is their focus on enhancing the landscape, greening, and ecology, going beyond standard housing benchmarks. This approach aligns seamlessly with HQM's benchmarks, significantly uplifting the environmental and social value of the developments. 

The decision to adopt HQM for these projects was driven by its comprehensive audit framework, which tracks sustainability from design to post-occupancy. As Michael Gwyther-Jones explains, "The primary aim of integrating HQM was to establish a robust and comprehensive audit trail. This approach was chosen to ensure that the projects meet stringent objectives, resulting in independently verified outcomes that adhere to high standards of sustainability and quality." 

By prioritising sustainable practices and embracing the HQM assessment method, the Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate developments demonstrate the City Corporation’s unwavering commitment to creating environmentally friendly and socially conscious urban housing. 

Background

The City Corporation oversees the management of 12 housing estates across London and looks after more than 3,100 social housing residents. They are committed to delivering over 700 new high-quality socially rented homes over the next 10 years. The City Corporation has historically integrated sustainability and community engagement, aligning with its Corporate Climate Action Strategy. The need for setting new benchmarks in sustainable urban housing led to adopting HQM as an independently audited assessment method. 

With UK housing accounting for 15% of all carbon emissions , the City Corporation recognised the need to minimise the environmental impact of new developments. As Michael Gwyther-Jones explained, "The City Corporation has historically approached urban planning with a focus on sustainability, as outlined in its Corporate Climate Action Strategy. This strategy sets ambitious targets for all corporate developments, emphasising the integration of sustainable practices. The City Corporation has prioritised environmental goals and community engagement, ensuring that urban development aligns with broader sustainability objectives." 

Incorporating HQM into the City Corporation's urban developments has elevated sustainability and health standards. As Michael Gwyther-Jones, highlights, "The inclusion of HQM introduces clear and measurable objectives throughout the design, construction, and post-occupancy phases." This approach ensures comprehensive attention to sustainability and health, enhancing the quality and performance of urban housing, and aligning with the City's sustainability aspirations. 

Challenges

External factors, including two judicial reviews, introduced a significant delay of over two years in the project timeline. This unexpected postponement presented challenges in sustaining consistency with the HQM consultant over the extended period. Despite these challenges, the clear benchmarks set by HQM played a crucial role in keeping the project objectives aligned and on track during this time. 

Solutions

The City Corporation’s decision to implement the HQM was a strategic move to incorporate into their Housing Design Guide, and projects such as the Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate developments. A key factor in HQM's selection was its emphasis on health and wellbeing. 

HQM was preferred for its effective audit method, offering practical deliverability over alternatives like Passivhaus.

HQM's comprehensive template made it stand out amongst other methodologies we considered, such as Passivhaus. HQM's focus on aspects positively impacting health and wellbeing, particularly Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) objectives, provided targeted solutions.

–  Michael Gwyther-Jones

Benefits

The City Corporation's use of HQM in the Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate projects effectively aligns with its commitment to sustainable housing and community-focused development. Michael Gwyther-Jones notes, "HQM aligns perfectly with our corporate objectives, reinforcing our dedication to both sustainability and community development." 

HQM aligns with the City's commitment to sustainable community development, offering an independent audit trail and influencing long-term management and maintenance strategies. 

Crucially, HQM takes a long view of sustainability. As Michael Gwyther-Jones explained, "HQM's focus on quality provides a foundational basis for the type of housing the City aims to deliver, shaping long-term management and maintenance strategies to uphold these standards." 

The Home Quality Mark (HQM) offers significant benefits for sustainable housing development, making it an excellent fit for the City Corporation's Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate developments. Key features of HQM that stand out for these projects include: 

Energy efficiency: HQM assesses and encourages high standards in energy efficiency, which is essential for sustainable housing. 
Health and wellbeing: the focus on health and wellbeing in HQM aligns with the City's objectives, ensuring that housing positively impacts occupant health. 
Biodiversity and environmental impact: HQM encourages biodiversity net gain and minimal environmental impact, which are vital for sustainable urban development. 
Resilience to climate change: HQM promotes building homes resilient to future climate risks, a key aspect of sustainable development. 
Quality assurance: with a robust certification process, HQM ensures high standards in construction and offers a reliable indication of quality for residents.

Summary

Reflecting on the City Corporation's use of HQM in the Sydenham Hill Estate and York Way Estate projects, Michael Gwyther-Jones describes the experience as very positive. However, he notes the need for enhanced collaboration, especially between the design development phase of the client and the contractor's delivery stage.  

As early adopters of HQM, the City Corporation's approach serves as a model for sustainable urban development. Their commitment to high standards in social housing projects sets a benchmark for future endeavours. 

For more details on the HQM framework visit Home Quality Mark - BRE Group   