Future Homes Hub: Building Performance Evaluation Call for Evidence

Build Test Solutions have this week responded to the call for evidence made by the Future Homes Hub on the topic of building performance evaluation.

The Future Homes Hub is a new body of home builders, supply sectors, regulators, researchers and environmental groups established to oversee a sector-wide delivery plan for meeting climate, nature and wider environmental targets set by Government.

Read the full Future Homes Delivery Plan here

Although only recently established, the hub’s first call for evidence specifically sought understanding of current and ‘in the pipeline’ building performance evaluations technologies, techniques, capacities, capabilities, challenges, gaps and opportunities. The FHH specifically stated:

As we move to higher standards of fabric efficiency and increased use of electric heating (heat pumps or direct electric) with the introduction of the Future Homes Standard, homes will increasingly be sensitive to any sub-optimal performance. As a consequence, it will be important that new homes perform as intended and that we have appropriate mechanisms to understand performance and provide feedback; with a strong preference for methods that can be used before occupation and all year round.

The Build Test Solutions mission is dedicated to the cause of developing and pulling through to market a wide range of building performance measurement tools and techniques.

The primary focus of our work has been on techniques for specifically measuring building fabric performance - a conscious decision given the influence fabric performance has on total energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as the simple fact that the building fabric will typically have an operational life of 50-100 years vs. heating, ventilation and cooling systems that might serve said fabric being serviceable items, replaced on a 10-15 year cycle. Overall, we were delighted to draw attention to three of our current flagship solutions; Pulse, SmartHTC and Heat3D. All of which have been specifically developed to make building performance measurement more accessible and affordable for the mainstream construction industry.

Read Build Test Solutions response to the Future Homes Hub call for evidence

For further information about any of the products mentioned and how they could support your business in carrying out quality control checks, performance verification or perhaps in resolving disputes, please get in touch.