We are pleased to have been part of the Housing Forum Working Group in connection with the application of information-age digital technologies. This has in turn resulted in a report on the potential to improve the quality and value of housing by harnessing consumer pull. The outcome is the proposal of a system of Home Performance Labelling to kick-start the process. Further information can be found by following this link http://www.housingfortheinformationage.co.uk/
The basis of the report is as follows:
‘Home Performance Labels’ will drive up housing quality
The interactive digital report just published from The Housing Forum, Housing for the Information Age, says Government, housebuilders and estate agents must work together to introduce “Home Performance Labels”, which would appear on all home-selling material detailing property size (in sqm, not just how many rooms) and energy consumption. The call for more information to be given to consumers about size was also made in the Government’s Consultation following its Housing Standards Review, issued in August.
This is a report of a collaborative Working Group drawn from the cross-sector membership of The Housing Forum. The report was chaired by Ben Derbyshire, Chair of The Housing Forum and Managing Partner of HTA Design LLP.
The Working Group has been investigating the application of information-age digital technologies with the potential to improve the quality and value of housing by harnessing consumer pull. We propose a system of Home Performance Labelling to kick-start the process.
The Report coincides with the Government Consultation on its Housing Standards Review. Please do take a look at the report, and if you do, we hope you will agree with The Housing Forum that the Government should go further than its Review suggests with the introduction of labelling.
The Information Age cannot begin to impact housing (as it has so many other aspects of life) until the consumers of housing are given better access to some basic information to help them chose a home. Our proposal for Home Performance Labelling of new and second hand homes across all tenures would be a good place to start.