To prepare effectively for the FHS, every homebuilder, regardless of size, will benefit from establishing pilot sites with a clear, structured plan for embedding learning across their organisation.

Joining Chris Gaze for this first episode of the Future Homes Podcast are:

• Danielle Michalska-Morris, Director of Research and Technical Innovation from Taylor Wimpey
• Matt Underwood, Commercial and Technical Director from Lioncourt Homes
• David Adams, strategic advisor at the Future Homes Hub.

Get all the latest hints and tips on how to get ready for the Future Homes Standard here.

Mentioned in this episode:

Coming soon: Future Homes Standard technical conference

Join us in Leeds on Tues 9th June, or in London on Weds 17th June, for the Future Homes Standard technical conference - a practical event for teams looking at energy assessment, heat pumps, solar panels, ventilation, and over-heating: https://www.futurehomes.org.uk/fhs-technical-conferences

Welcome to the Future Homes podcast.

My name is Chris Gaze and this is where we look closely at the ideas, policies and practical challenges shaping how homes are being designed, built and delivered in the UK Today. We unpack what's changing, why it matters and what it means in practice for developers, consultants, local authorities and the supply chain.

Our focus this time is something that's key to successful delivery of the future home standard. We're calling it Lead. Read early, learn fast.

We're joined by Danielle Michalska-Morris from Taylor Wimpey, Matt Underwood from Lioncourt Homes and David Adams from the Future Homes Hub. First up, a quick primer from David. What is the Future Homes Standard?

So, the Future Homes Standard is a regulation that has been published now, but comes into force in about two years time for new homes.

It's the standard of build for new homes from an energy and carbon perspective and effectively it's going to mean that new homes are all electric, have PV on the roof and are comfortable, warm and ready for the future.

One of the key recommendations is that house builders should look at building pilot sites. Why is that important with regards to the Future Homes Standard?

And maybe more important than it's been with regards to any other changes in the regulations. Danielle?

We are at a point where the direction of travel now is so much clearer because the Future Homes Standard has landed. But there's still more to understand and know about how the Future Homes Standard is going to work in practice.

You know, it's probably one of the biggest changes we've seen in the industry in a long time.

So with that in mind, trials and pilot sites or plots are really about learning, you know, gaining experience, understanding, not defining one final solution or pinpointing. This is what we're going to do. It's finding what's right and what works for individual businesses or individual designs and house types.

So approaches that are finding the right balance, both for our businesses but also for our customers.

Probably the sector's biggest challenge at the moment often isn't noted because it's probably an area of contention sometimes, but really needs to be discussed, is around balancing lots of different priorities, so balancing skills, sustainability, customer needs, but whilst also maintaining costs and affordability for our customer.

So I think trials are really important so we can make sure we've got a good understanding of practical challenges, that we build evidence before we're scaling up, but really to help the industry just build that confidence and share learning before the Future Homes Standard actually starts being delivered in volume.

Our topic's about leading early. Are there any Thoughts about timings on doing trials.

I think it's got to be open minded to the individual in terms of the individual business, individual sites, whether it's a suite of technologies you're looking at or an individual component. But the key message here is as early as practically possible.

So as soon as you have either identified a business need or it's a regulatory need, start having those conversations early and it might not be a full trial experience early.

You know, we're talking about engage with the supply chain, engage with your building control, engage with industry bodies, get that feedback and start learning early.

And from the perspective of a smaller builder, Matt, I mean, anything you'd like to talk about in terms of why do trials and the timing of doing those trials?

I think it's key previous changes we've had, it's been more of a product swap or an upgrade, whereas Future Homes Standard really is a system change.

Being prepared early is critical, especially as we're looking at sites now and with the prolonged planning process and land acquisition timings, we have to start looking at things now because what we're doing now will be Future Homes Standards when we're actually getting onto site. So if we're not prepared, we're buying sites where potentially we were hoping to get 100 units on.

And actually with cavity size changes, with plot footprint alterations and accommodating new technologies, we're finding we can only get 95, 90 houses on. So it's really important that we understand how it affects us early on and we pick off the key.

You don't have to go down to every single minute detail, but make sure we pick off the key headline items now, make sure we're accommodating them in our forward designs.

Yeah, completely agree with that.

And can I just quickly ask, because you were talking about system change as opposed to product change, could you expand a bit on that?

I think before we've redesigned our house type range?

Because we quickly realised, usually with building regulation changes, we managed to squeeze in the requirements by hook or by crook into our existing footprint. You definitely can't do that now.

It's easier on the larger detached units, but when you've got smaller, you know, one and two bed homes and you're trying to get air source, heat, pump positioning, cylinder cupboards, accommodate inverters and all the different technology that we need now, it's really important to look at everything as a whole, as a system and also how it interacts. You can't just add one item on and it works in isolation.

Everything's so intrinsically linked now that we've got to look at it as a whole system rather than we can add this on here, we can add this on there and that will get us a tick in a box.

David.

And that's where getting this experience early is important because you don't know what you don't know. We've produced the Future Homes Standard Essentials, which is seven essential activities for house builders to be very aware of.

That has come out of distilling the feedback from organizations such as Taylor Wimpey and Nine Court Homes, such that home builders that haven't currently put their foot in the water in this direction get a sense of the areas that they really need to look at and understand right now in order to work out, okay, what do they need to trial or test and how to do it and prepare from this point. Otherwise, unlike previous regulations, as Matthew's alluded to, you could just substitute this time. You can't.

It's going to be much more serious if people are not prepared. Now's the time to prepare.

Brilliant. Okay, now Matt and Danielle, we've invited you on because we know that you've been doing some trials.

Tell us a little bit what pilots and trials you've been doing and what are the sort of things you've been learning as a business from them.

So we've carried out a number of trials at very different levels as I mentioned earlier. Some are low key independent product trials and that might be factory based, some are much larger scale and are full units.

But what we have got is Sudbury site, which was a. Taylor Wimpey became the first UK house builder to actually trial five prototype homes to what we were then thought would be the Future Homes Standard. And we did that on a live site and sold those to customers. And that was looking at lots of different technologies.

But you know, everything from PV on the roof, solar batteries, air source heat pumps, different heat emitters, you know, even pushing the boundaries and looking at air source heat pumps in the loft space because we had consumer feedback around heat pumps being positioned outside and taking external space up and cylinder cupboards taking valuable storage for people to put their Hoovers and ironing boards, et cetera. So, you know, we really pushed the boundaries of trying different technologies, but lots of different recipes.

We didn't expect that one of those was going to be the silver bullet. We were taking lessons learned from individual parts of that trial.

And I think probably the biggest lesson that we've learned is that the design, construction and customer experience, they all need to be brought Together in a holistic approach early. You know, you can't look at it in silos, it's got to be done together.

And I think the pilots have really highlighted the importance of early design coordination, space planning, putting new technology in the home.

Customers are used to combi boilers that go in a cupboard, whether in their kitchen or utility, then going to having cylinders and technology outside and inverters in their loft for PV arrays.

So it's having clear processes in place not just for our sites and trade teams, but for our sales teams to make sure they're informing the customer appropriately, but also that for our customer so they know how to use and operate these homes. Because we can build the best quality home with the most efficient products.

If we put a customer in that home and they do not know how to operate it efficiently, it is no longer an efficient home for them. So you know, it's really key that the customer side that we educate them and bring them on the journey with us.

And probably one of the big lessons that we learn is where we've got given so much information through very different means, you know, whether that be documentation, digital app based, site based lunch and learns with the customer, they still need more. And it's about timing, getting the timing right.

Because when a customer buys a new home, they're so engaged in the process, they're not often listening to some of the details because they're excited, you know, where can we put our sofas, who's having what bedroom?

So it's about finding the right point to deliver that information as well during the sales journey while they're buying that property, once they've moved in, but also after they've moved in to make sure that we've got that information and customer care support throughout.

Probably a final point, what pilots have done have really reinforced how valuable feedback is, but real feedback speaking to those on the ground doing and those operating those systems because that's shaping what we do, you know, shaping the way things work in reality. And, and if there is any concerns, we can then identify them and go away and look to what we need to do.

And Matt, what have your lessons been?

We took a bit of approach where we had to be a bit cautious with not trying to do too much too soon. So what we started to do is try and introduce key technologies and almost piece it together.

So we came up with what we thought our specification would be and then we picked off key items, I suppose like air source heat pumps and started to implement those. So we had more of a stage implementation And I couldn't agree more with what Danielle's saying. The customer experience at the end is so critical.

We spent ages pulling together the most fantastic spreadsheets and wonderful designs and then the customer moves in and doesn't know how to work it and everything goes horribly wrong. So months and months of work. Also the time of year people move in. Something that really caught us out.

I think Dani's right in what she's saying about distractions when they first move in, but also the time of year. We had a lot of people move in during the summer months.

Then it got to winter and everything starts to go wrong because they can't remember the handover from the customer at the time they were taking, as Danny said, a sofa delivery. The kids are asking for a takeaway and it doesn't line up. We've spent a lot of time simplifying systems and procedures. Technology should just work.

The proof of a good system is when you ask a customer how it's going and they say, well, everything's fine. I think we haven't had to touch it. And that for me is a great sign of success. Especially when you've got technical teams on things.

You focus so much on the detail and the pipe diameter and the fluid viscosity through the pipe.

You forget about your elderly sort of resident who doesn't know how to program the central heating program because you need a NASA degree to be able to do it.

We need to make sure that we're identifying solutions and controls and everything else that are suitable for a wide range of demographics. We often think, oh, well, everybody now uses smartphones and apps and knows how to do it and intuitively can do it, but we don't.

You know, we have everyone from our first time buyers who are probably the younger generation that are super tech savvy, right through to our downsizers and older generations that probably still want to press a button on the wall.

And sometimes I think, you know, we have these super smart homes, but am I super smart enough to live in it?

It's the question that then comes up now that we've got the Future Homes Standard, which, you know, we're all super excited about, are there further trials that you're going to be conducting?

Something that we've started to do now we've got that clarity, is look at things like cavity widths, where we're saying, well, we might not need to do this size cavity right now, but actually it gives us flexibility not just in the regulations and the standards, but in product selection. So a Lot of what we've done in the past, it's been based on a specific product.

And I think with recent market conditions, what it's opened our eyes to is actually we need to build in some flexibility to the specification. We can't just rely on always being able to get that manufacturer's block at that particular performance deck.

We need to be able to swap out if there's supply issues, if there's delivery issues, if there's scalability issues. So with everything we do from a technical basis, we always want certainty.

I like everything set out in a spreadsheet and definite and fixed and agreed, as a lot of technical people do. So now we've got that clarity. It's helped us just finalize everything and really move forwards and it will mean our pilots as well.

We know we're going down the right track, so everything we're testing now would directly impact our final product specification. So when we're actually delivering our final future home Standard plots, we know we've got it right, but there's also a bit of leeway in there.

And is there anything in particular you think you might be piloting now that you've seen the Future Homes Standard for real?

The big thing we're focusing on at the moment is we've been doing air source heat pumps for a good few years now. What we're really focusing on at the moment is that interaction between PV functionality and air source heat pumps and how they all link together.

Especially with battery storage, it's really difficult to know where to draw a line because technology is moving so quickly.

One minute you're trying to work out where to place your internal battery and then you're looking at, actually your car can serve as an external battery. So you use that during the day if you're at home on a Saturday and then it charges up on a low electricity rate in the evening.

So then that changes the parameters again. And I think what we're trying to do is make sure that we don't fix something now that in a few months is going to be out of date.

And Danielle, now that you've seen it on paper on the screen, what the future home standard is, what are the differences it's going to be making in terms of your future pilots and trials?

I think it's now about fine tuning and raising the awareness across the business of what it is that we actually want to do and what's right for our business and our customers. So, you know, areas of interest and that we tend to focus on, you know, health and safety.

We talk straight away about Future Homes Standard and how you're going to meet it. And we go straight into the solution driven technologies and what's going to meet compliance. But actually there's a bigger view that we need to take.

So health and safety, buildability, integration of systems, how solutions perform, how they impact the customer.

So it's now really about taking a backseat and understanding all of those things and how bringing these technologies on board, how we can make it practical, you know, how is it going to physically work on our sites in a cold winter rainy day and delivering that and again with our supply chain, you know, and I think that's where the reason for piloting is, to build evidence, you know.

So for us it's about now going out and doing more trials about evidence, understand the trade offs and making sure that we're keeping that optionality, you know, as standards and guidance continue to evolve. Because although we've got the Future Homes Standard, there is still some uncertainties in there or areas that we need some quantifying on.

So for us further, pilots really are taking that next step, but also taking the lessons learned from our previous trials. So as an example, our previous trials have actually informed new product development. So we're setting challenges to our supply chain as well.

Looking at where we can store plant, you know, because feedback is that storage in the homes, they would prefer it. So can we store plant in alternative areas such as in the loft space.

But also how do we bridge that gap between what is expected by our customer to what we're actually delivering? So looking at the right products at the right time as well.

Matt touched on it around the supply chain piece and making sure that we've got that element of either security or flexibility.

Some of our pilots actually may not be on the ground running immediately, but we are definitely engaging with the supply chain and that's right through from product manufacturers to through to the energy providers.

And David, what's the sort of role of the Future Homes Hub in helping with regards to all of these pilots going on out there? I mean, does everybody have to do all the same pilots or is there a chance that we might be able to learn from one another?

Oh, this change in regulations in particular is critical that we learn from each other. Different people are at different stages, have tried different things, look at the problem in different ways.

And that melting pot is really helpful in helping all home builders and the supply chain in this space to come out with more optimized outcomes for householders. So I think there's a great Opportunity here to share learning because ultimately 90% of homes sold are existing ones.

If we could just sell rather than 10% new homes, 15% new homes, that would be. We'd be asking Danielle and Matthew to build 50% more over overnight. Yeah.

So this opportunity really is here for new homes to be substantially better than the existing stock.

And we get all this learning and particularly in large organizations, Danielle, and yours is a really large organization. How do you embed that learning once you've got it, how do you spread the good news?

Do you know what? That is part of the learning.

So I think when you look back many years about how we are communicating those changes across our businesses, the key for us is about making sure the learning doesn't sit with one project or one team.

What comes out of the pilot feeds into, we need to feed it into the wider group strategy and where we're going to make sure that the pilots are feeding into design reviews, supplier conversations, guidance that we're producing right from the top to the bottoms, you know, even to our trades. And they might not be direct trades on site. So subcontractors, making sure that we bring them all on the journey.

So it's about sharing those lessons learned across our business, but also wider, you know, so with the likes of the Future Homes Hub, we sit on a lot of the working groups and are happy to share those lessons that we've learned with others, you know, particularly because we recognize we are a larger business. So we can share some of our lessons learned because we've got the capacity to do so to help some of the smaller SMEs.

But it's very much an interactive process. It's about testing. So making sure that we're testing the right thing.

Because if we don't know what we're actually testing, the lessons that we learn are going to be of no use. So making sure that we're testing, we're learning from that, but refining.

So every time we do something, we get those lessons learned, refine before we go again rather than just doing one off exercises. So keep it going until we get to a point that we're comfortable with. And ask, always ask for feedback as well.

That approach helps the business build confidence over time to ensure that we have the right solutions for us as a business, but more importantly for our customer.

And Matt, what does embedding learning look like for you as a smaller builder?

It's constantly, constantly updating things. And things like our trade specifications are absolutely key for us.

Every time we get something wrong, we go right, we're going to update that document. That doesn't happen again. But I think Danny makes a really, really good point about there's not enough collaboration.

I think Future Home's done a great job bringing everybody together and it's really good to share information and that's massively helped us as an SME. We get exposure to things that we wouldn't normally be involved in. I always think if you attend something, you take away one key thing.

The cost and the time difference that can make is absolutely massive for a business of our size.

And we learned with previous regulations if you try and do it by yourself, it's hard work, it takes a long time and there were reworks and costs and at the moment cost is very important and has a big impact on a smaller company.

So to share, learning to share resources is absolutely key for us and we're happy to share and it's nice to meet like minded companies as well that offer that support and help as well.

And how do you find it with regards to bringing, you know, the people you work with on the houses, on the journey with you, whether they are trades or warranty providers or how do we make sure that they are happy with the directions we're taking and feel comfortable with it?

This is one of the things that's really identified with the pilots is this gap between having a great plan, a great specification and a wonderful spreadsheet. And then when you get to site, you realize that hasn't worked all the way down the system.

And particularly important with contractors and suppliers, you could be meeting with the MD of the contractor who's saying, yep, not a problem, we do this all the time. And then you get to site and you find they're saying things like how hard can it be? And you're thinking, you haven't done this before.

So it's really making sure that what we're learning goes right down to the individual that's on site and what we're doing a lot more of. And the manufacturers have been very supportive with this. There's much more toolbox talks on site training and then not even with the trades.

We've done manufacturer LED training with the customers, which is so good because it really gives the customers that insight and that confidence that this is a really impressive system and a lot of work's gone into it. So it's making sure what we know filters right the way down to the people that are the end users or the installers are actually putting it together.

Okay, now this is the point in the podcast where I Like to pretend that I'm a genie, that I'm going to give you three wishes. I'm a bit mean though. I'm only going to give you one wish each. So I'm not like a decent generous genie.

What's the one thing that you would like each of us to sort of take away from listening from this podcast? And this time I'll kick off with David.

Oh, I think my wish would be for people to go across to the Future Homes Hub website, click on the link to the Future Homes get ready campaign and look, read and make great progress.

Okay, great. Matt, what's your one takeaway you'd like us all to have?

I would say collaborate and don't be scared to share.

I think people can be hesitant in sharing information because they're worried they're going to be criticized on it or someone's going to pick fault with what they've done. Whereas actually we're in this together. What one mistake one developer makes can affect all of us. We can all be tarred with the same brush.

So I would say don't be scared to share and collaborate.

Okay. And Danielle, assuming that David and Matt haven't just nicked the ones you were going to say, what's your one takeaway?

Probably that this is a transition. It's not a single moment in time. The direction is now clearer but there's still time and space to learn. So take advantage of that.

Pilots shared learning, early engagement. It gives the industry the best chance of getting it right for the customers, for our delivery teams and for long term quality in new build market.

That's probably my penny's worth.

I think that's a great penny's worth to end with. So I want to say big thank you.

Thank you to Danielle from Taylor Wimpey, to Matt from Lynecourt Homes and to David Adams from the Future Homes Hub for joining us today on the podcast.

Thank you very much for having us.

Thank you. Thanks a lot.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Future Homes podcast and thank you once again to Danielle, Matt and David. There's a lot more practical advice, news and events on the Future Homes Hub website and on our dedicated knowledge centre.

Make sure to follow or subscribe to Future Homes wherever you listen so you don't miss anything. And most importantly, please tell people about us in the real world and share this link with anyone who'll find our podcast useful. See you next time.