Join us at Homes 2022 on 23-24 November

How will social landlords meet their repairs challenges?

Staff shortages, meeting net zero and mounting repairs backlogs are just three examples of the asset management challenges faced by landlords. With a perfect storm of ageing stock that needs to be upgraded, fire safety issues that need to be fixed and net zero targets that need to be met, social landlords are having to focus – and spend money – on existing stock.

This session will help those on the frontline to navigate these mounting challenges.

Chair: Gary Stanfield, Fusion21

• Phil Pemberton, Riverside Group
• Mark Batchelor, The Hyde Group
• Joanne Hiscock, Moat Homes

Procurement's role in building safety

What are the implications of the new Building Safety Bill as law? What is procurement’s role in building safety and achieving best value rather than a ’race to the bottom’? How can the sector adopt and implement procurement practices that will deliver safer buildings? Can collaborative procurement lead to safer, better-quality outcomes?

Chair: Andrew Gray, Fusion21

• Darya Bahram, King's College London
• Martin Cawthorn, L&Q
• Jenny Harris, Sanctuary Group
• Matthew Lewis, Clarion Housing Group
• Jane Duncan, RIBA's Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety

Procuring with tenants

Many services that tenants rely on are out-sourced to private contractors. Getting the contract specification for this work right can make a huge difference to tenant satisfaction and the smooth running of the contract. How can tenants be involved meaningfully in the preparation of contracts, selecting contractors and monitoring ongoing performance?

This session will explore how housing and procurement professionals can support tenants to share their valuable insights and experiences to co-design services and contracts that deliver value for money. 

Chair: Mark Chadwick, Fusion21

• Jenny Osbourne, Tpas
• Fayann Simpson, L&Q
• Ian Simpson, Communities First
• Rev James Olanipekun, Together with Tenants Advisory Panel

Managing the impact of price uncertainty in material supply chains

Every social landlord wants a materials agreement that delivers top quality, at the best price, for the life of the contract. Given the current price uncertainty within material supply chains, this session will explore current market conditions and how to manage the impact on delivering quality homes and services.

How can organisations review their contracts for material supply and work with suppliers to achieve operational efficiencies, cost certainty (within contracts) and security of supply?

Are there specific products of concern? What can we collectively do to alleviate the issues? How does the future look?

Chair: Jeff Edginton, Fusion21

• Simon Hancox, AKW
• Paul Jones, Vaillant Group
• Dave Woodward, Wolesley UK
• Karen Houston, Camerons

Towards sustainable procurement

Chair: Duncan Spokes, Fusion21

• Brendan Sarsfield, Sustainability for Housing
• Helen Carter, Action Sustainability
• Matt Hickman, VINCI 
• James Traynor, ECD Architects

Demystifying the Public Procurement Reform Bill and what it means for housing

The Public Procurement Reform Bill will mean fundamental changes to how the housing sector procures its strategic goods and services. The wide-ranging changes include new procurement processes, greater transparency, social outcomes, supply chain engagement, new obligations for housing organisations and more.

In this session, we explore what impact the legislation will have and how the sector and its supply chains can prepare for the changes ahead. How can organisations start to think creatively and collaboratively about how to embrace the new regime?

Chair: Peter Francis, Fusion21

• Rebecca Rees, Trowers & Hamlins
• John Wallace, Clarion Housing Group
• Kirsty Bower, Octavia

Procuring in an uncertain world: how to manage the impact of escalating costs

With global events creating a “perfect storm” of materials and labour shortages and supply chain disruption, this
panel will explore the impact of escalating costs on new housing and repairs and maintenance.

How can the sector monitor the risks and take strategic action to manage them so that they can provide safe and good quality homes and services now and in the future?

Chair: Peter Francis, Fusion21

• Claire Bailey-Jones, Novus
• Kevin Williamson, Sovereign HA
• Atul Dattani, CEF

How do we fund decarbonisation?

This session will explore how to secure long-term financing of decarbonisation works to improve thermal performance and reduce carbon demand. What alternative funding methods are available beyond LAD and SHDF? With the cost of living crisis likely to affect revenue, can housing providers use capital reserves, borrow through finance linked to ESG or cut back elsewhere?

• Arun Poobalasingam, The Housing Finance Corporation
• Jane Harrison, Soho Housing
• Abid Hanif, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing
• Noel Brosnan, Paradigm Housing Group

Procurement with purpose: how social value can deliver on the green skills agenda

Investment in green home upgrades, energy efficiency and installing renewable heating technology has the potential to create 325,000 jobs across the UK by 2035.

This session will explore how the sector can maximise the huge social value opportunities that this presents for local communities and economies.

It will examine the findings and recommendations from HACT's recently released Just Green Transition report that was part funded by the Fusion21 Foundation. How can the sector "think big" in response to this?

Chair: Sarah Maguire, Fusion21

• Amy Holbrook, PH Jones
• Lynsey Sweeney, Communities That Work
• Robert Sugden, HACT
• Shelley Hathway-Batt, Clarion Housing Group

Addressing the cost of living challenge through innovation and collaboration

This session will explore the impact of the rising cost of living on tenants and how the housing sector can collaborate with partners in the community to help those worst affected.

How can we best target community investment strategies and resources to address key areas, including health and wellbeing, fuel poverty and the quality of housing conditions?

How can collaborative and cross-departmental approaches maximise the impact of interventions? What examples can we learn from?

Chair: Jo Hannan, Fusion21

• Anna Taylor, The Food Foundation
• Alistair Smyth, The Guinness Partnership
• Matthew Buckham, Sovereign HA

The golden thread of building information: delivering on safety AND sustainability 

One of the key recommendations of the Hackitt report was a "Golden Thread" of building information, enabling better and safer decisions in the design, construction and operation of buildings. The challenge to make safer buildings is very similar to the challenge to make buildings sustainable. You can’t just design a safe building or a sustainable energy efficient building but you have to consider the whole life cycle of the building including operation. Much focus has been on building information in the design and construction phases but building and construction activities only account for 36% of global final energy. Building information and the Golden Thread enables designers to communicate their intentions, contractors to communicate what they build and building operators to understand how to manage and operate a building not just safely but also sustainably.

This session will explore how the Golden Thread can play a key part in the wider digital transformation of the built environment, helping to lower carbon emissions as well as improve building safety.

Chair: Chris McQuillan, Fusion21

• Jack Ostrofsky, Southern Housing Group
• Aman Sharma, BRAC
• Hanna Clarke, Construction Products Association
• Varun Soni, Calfordseadon

Case study: retrofitting for both safety and sustainability

In this session, the panel will discuss a transformational refurbishment of eight tower blocks for Luton Borough Council. The works successfully encompassed both energy efficiency measures and building/fire safety measures.

Attend to hear the lessons learned and areas of innovation and best practice from inception and procurement to delivery on site.

Chair: Paula White, Fusion21

• Michael Brown, Michael Dyson Associates
• James Jennings, EQUANS
• Gary Stanfield, Fusion21