CASH Final Conference. Brussels, 27-29 November 2012

Posted on: 13 March 2013
By: mackene
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In the new context of the EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, State members are asked to heavily invest in Energy Efficiency (EE) and Social issues. Member States with Managing Authorities are programming the use of these new structural funds. However, there are important barriers to energy efficiency implementation in social housing. The objective of the final CASH Conference was to share with managing authorities, the European Commission, in particular Directorate-General Regional and Urban policy and Directorate-General Energy, EU Parliament members and European organisations, the recommendations of the network to reduce these barriers and to come out with key programming criteria to make the best use of new structural funds for Energy Efficient renovation of social housing with a systemic approach and a mass perspective. Presentations and criteria from the Round Table are available online.

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What homes where?

Posted on: 12 March 2013
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This website has been set up by a group of professional bodies, trade associations and charities with an interest in planning for housing. The Group came together in 2011 in response to a call from practitioners for practical support in assessing how many homes were needed in their areas in the context of the new housing and planning landscape. A Companion Guide has been written which provides some context to assessing the housing needed in local areas. This should help when looking at the toolkits. The Companion Guide also provides information on the process for looking at ‘housing need’.

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RIBA Research Symposium 2012. London, 4 October 2012

Posted on: 12 March 2013
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The refurbishment of existing housing stock presents a great opportunity for architects. With this context in mind, as well as the launch of the government’s Green Deal initiative, the RIBA’s 7th annual research symposium asked the question: what challenges and problems lie beneath the maxim ‘don’t move, improve’? Encompassing issues including conservation, sustainability and design quality, the symposium explored whether old houses can become modern homes. The event included case studies from both architects and academics, as well as the presentation of an exciting student design charrette showcasing how schools of architecture came together to tackle the challenge of retrofit. Presentations are available online.

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Tackling squalor: the pivotal role of social housing

Posted on: 11 March 2013
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The purpose of this paper, written by Duncan Bowie of the University of Westminster, is to review changes in attitudes to, and policy towards, social housing and social housing tenants since the Beveridge Report of 1942. This paper argues that the best way to counter the residualisation of social housing and the spatial concentration of social housing tenants is to radically increase the supply of social housing.

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Changes to affordable housing in London and implications for delivery

Posted on: 11 March 2013
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This paper presents an overview of the London housing market, focusing on affordability and the impact of recent policy reforms on affordable housing.

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Delivering and funding housing retrofit: a review of community models

Posted on: 11 March 2013
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Arup has launched a new report which provides best practice and international guidance to central government, local authorities, social housing providers and other organisations who are trying to implement retrofit programmes. The study, supported by the Institute for Sustainability, is the result of a year-long research project that reviewed over twenty case studies of international delivery and funding models for retrofit.

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A place to call your home

Posted on: 1 March 2013
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The umbrella body Homeless Link has mapped out steps that need to be taken to prevent and tackle homelessness against a backdrop of service cuts and welfare reform.

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Offsite Housing Review

Posted on: 28 February 2013
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The Construction Industry Council was commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to undertake a Review to consider and make recommendations to industry and to Government on the contribution which the off-site construction sector can make to increase the delivery of more homes and how the increased use of off-site construction can be incentivised in England.

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Building Information Modelling – an introduction for housebuilders

Posted on: 27 February 2013
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Many housebuilders are missing a “money saving opportunity” by not investing in Building Information Modelling (BIM), according to a report from the NHBC Foundation.  The report shows that 89% of the 18 major housebuilders who NHBC surveyed had not heard of BIM or had no plans to use it.

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House building statistics: October-December 2012

Posted on: 22 February 2013
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The latest national statistics on house building in England are available online. Statistics in this release present figures on new-build housing starts and completions in England. Figures for the UK and constituent countries are also available in the accompanying tables. The latest statistics report on the period October to December 2012.

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