Perhaps you’ve read about the Building Better: Community of Practice, you like the vision, you share our passion to see an increase in the delivery of social and affordable homes – but you’re wondering how it will work in practice? In this blog, we share the core elements of communities of practice and why they’re effective, what the Building Better: Community of Practice will do, and what it means to be a member.

In an era where knowledge is power, individuals, organisations and industries are constantly seeking better ways to learn, share, and evolve. This is of critical importance to the housing industry in the UK as we explore innovative technologies, delivery models and ways of working to unlock a step change in the supply of quality, affordable homes. Find out more about The Building Better: Community of Practice (BB: CoP).

Housing Festival and Building Better have today announced that they are joining forces to form Building Better: Community of Practice (BB:CoP). This is an exciting opportunity to increase momentum in their shared mission to drive systemic change in the social and affordable housing sector through innovation and collaboration.

What is needed to make collaboration in housing delivery work? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from Session 9 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Trowers and Hamlins. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

What are the legalities and practicalities of creating contracts for modular housing projects? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from Session 8 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Trowers and Hamlins. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

What do partnerships look like in action? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from Session 7 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Remagin. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How can we make energy-efficient, net-zero homes viable for social housing? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from Session 5 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Sano with ZED PODS, Octopus Energy and UCL. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How can partnerships between stakeholders boost housing delivery in the UK? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from Session 3 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Saint-Gobain Offsite Solutions . Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How can planning become an enabler of accelerated social rent home delivery? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 13 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Womble Bond Dickinson. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How can better quality temporary accommodation provide a quality alternative to hotels and hostels? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 6 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by Wates. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

What is the role of national leadership in the incubation of MMC and broader transformation in housing delivery? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 4 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, a conversation between Homes England And MMC Ireland. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How is Property Technology transforming ways of working to support housing delivery at scale? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 14 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by RenKap. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

How do we unlock private investment to accelerate the delivery of new social rent homes at scale? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 11 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by KPMG. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

What does it feel like, mentally and physically, to live in an unsafe or insecure home? What are the long-term effects? This blog is our summary and key takeaways from  Session 1 from the New Homes in New Ways Summit, hosted by AtkinsRéalis. Watch the Summit on our YouTube channel.

It’s hard to believe it’s been just over a month since the New Homes in New Ways Summit. Building on the momentum of the New Homes in New Ways exhibition at the Building Centre, the summit gathered industry leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors to spark collaborative action to change the way we deliver homes for the sake of the most vulnerable. Here are our key takeaways and reasons to be hopeful.

“The New Homes in New Ways exhibition is an important opportunity to tell the story of how Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has the potential to help address the UK’s severe shortfall of social rent homes and Temporary Accommodation crisis. I hope that this exhibition acts as a provocation to all of us, to recognise that we need a step change, and that we are collectively responsible for that change.” - Jez Sweetland, Project Director, Housing Festival

Work to turn a council-owned disused garage plot in Bristol into affordable housing thanks to the innovative Gap House concept has reached its final stage of construction.

Jez’s speech at the launch of the New Homes in New Ways exhibition: Mixed emotions for me tonight. It's great to be here, it feels like a party. It's great to be amongst friends and yet, I'm also quite angry. You know, it's hard to be celebrating a story together that actually looks like systemic failure.

Four weeks ago, we were delighted to join a delegation visiting three pioneering new Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) sites in Bristol. As another UK first, we were thrilled to see these homes becoming a reality, and they will soon provide high-quality, low-carbon homes for people in Bristol. 

The first component of the ecosystem solution is building homes in a new way. This will require incubating a new supply chain of factory-manufactured (MMC) homes.