Long-term viability
How can we balance immediate goals with long-term need?
It is our responsibility to design with the future of both our planet and our communities in mind. We must fully commit to the path toward Net Zero, recognising that true sustainability requires a holistic approach -one that balances environmental, social, and economic factors. By embedding these principles into every stage of our process, we can create lasting, positive impact.
Short-term financial pressures often drive decision making in local authority housing, but roundtable attendees agreed that a more sustainable approach is needed. Investing in high quality, energy-efficient homes today can prevent costly retrofit and maintenance issues in the future.
The discussion highlighted the need for a shift in how value is assessed. Traditional definitions of ‘value for money’ often overlook long-term savings, such as energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
Attendees also emphasised the importance of designing and building with net zero targets in mind, rather than seeing sustainability as an avoidable cost. This is especially important as an increasing number of local authorities are including net zero in their local plans. Selecting a partner with proven expertise in delivering sustainable, low carbon projects ensures not only a net zero approach during the build but also in operation.
This ensures compliance with net zero goals but also delivers a reduction in operational costs and future retrofit expenses and, therefore demonstrates longer-term value for money.
Yes, it saves money in the long run
No, budget constraints are too tight
A balanced approach is needed
We need to take a holistic view towards value. While the cost of delivering an asset may exceed its immediate financial value, providing someone with a safe and warm home can have far-reaching benefits. A safe home can potentially reduce the strain on health and education systems, ultimately giving someone a better quality of life. You can’t put a number on that.
Passivhaus standards were highlighted as a key opportunity to build homes that meet today’s needs without compromising the future, as evidenced by councils increasingly adopting Passivhaus-style standards for new builds.
While there is an upfront cost, the long-term benefits - lower energy demand, reduced carbon emissions, and improved living conditions - far outweigh the initial investment.
A new framework that accounts for lifecycle costs, rather than just upfront expenditure, is essential for delivering truly sustainable housing.
As Siu-Pei Choi, Kier Construction’s Head of Design, put it: the future of housing lies not just in the number of homes we build, but in the quality and sustainability of the communities we create.
Passivhaus focuses on the long-term use and comfort of a building as well as the financial, social and environmental benefits it can bring to occupant.From a building performance perspective, it focuses on design, insulation, thermal bridges and airtightness. All Passivhaus buildings follow a rigorous quality assurance process to confirm that the building successfully meets all the criteria defined by the Passivhaus Institute.
Building to higher standards today prevents us from dealing with substandard stock tomorrow. Passivhaus, for example, isn’t just an environmental choice - it’s a financial and social choice too. We need to stop chasing short-term wins and think about long-term sustainability and responsible financial investment.
While early project phases are typically capital-intensive, in most cases the financial benefits of sustainability emerge in later stages. However, constructing high-quality, energy-efficient homes can help mitigate future retrofitting costs.
Chris Carthy of Hackney Council says its a race against time to make quick and informed decisions. And that if the private can sector can make decisions on sustainability quicker, then we need to follow suit.
We need to make swift, informed decisions on sustainability. The private sector tends to make these decisions quicker, and we need to invest in this expertise in public organisations. The sales pitch for private firms is: how can you help us get on with it more quickly and confidently than we can alone?
Kier handed over the new energy efficient 11 – 19 co-educational comprehensive school, Mulberry Academy London Dock, to London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2024. Situated in the London Dock residential complex, the school was partly funded by the Department for Education, and is home to 1,150 local students and managed by the Mulberry Schools Trust.Designed to Passivhaus standards, the building is designed to maximise heat and energy conservation, having a lower impact on the environment and saving on energy bills. Features include enhanced insulation, air source heat pumps and south-facing design that promotes natural light and improves air quality by enhancing the flow of fresh air throughout the building.
Read more here >>
