BREEAM Webinar: Volume versus sustainability – Can we build more homes and build better?

Webinars
04 November 2025

BREEAM Webinar: Volume versus sustainability – Can we build more homes and build better?

On 17 September 2025, BRE hosted a webinar exploring one of the residential sector's most pressing questions: can we build more homes and build better? Chaired by Jennifer Dudley, Residential Product Manager at BRE, the session brought together planning authorities, developers and fund managers to challenge the assumption that quality and volume are incompatible goals. The panel revealed that 68% of industry professionals believe both are achievable – signalling a significant shift in how the sector approaches the housing crisis.

quotes

Adam Harvatt, Group Manager for Policy and Plans at Leeds City Council

"We absolutely have to build more and build better. The question really is how do we do it. The biggest challenge but also a huge opportunity is the level of community resistance to new housing. It would be easy to badge that as NIMBYism, but there's also some really valid concerns about how places change and whether places are being made better by being made bigger. We need stronger policies on quality, including sustainability, to make sure that when we add new housing, we make places that local people can be proud of."

Rosalie Callway, Policy and Project Manager at the Town and Country Planning Association

"It is possible, but it is a big challenge. I've got four challenges for delivering it: prioritisation, planning, partnership and practice. We need to think about how we prioritise different intentions when delivering housing schemes. The traditional volume house building model has a reputation for cost engineering and fixed profit margins, but we're seeing the more progressive end of the market delivering diverse communities that are resilient to future risks like flooding, overheating and energy insecurity. The BREEAM new construction residential standard goes a long way in providing a clear, holistic framework to support that prioritisation process."

Ivan Rodriguez, Sustainability Director at Bridges Fund Management

“Building more homes doesn’t mean we have to compromise on quality or sustainability. If we standardise to meet certain sustainability targets, and these have been assessed by the project team from the very beginning, sustainability doesn't need to cost much more. Technology costs have dropped so much: trade prices for solar PV panels are now well below £100. The payback periods for investing in sustainable features, especially if you do it at scale, will be really, really short. That’s why we don't see sustainability as a cost, we see it as added value – and embed it within all our investments. Regulation in the UK and Europe is driving sustainability, and investors are willing to pay for better sustainability standards. But those investments need to demonstrate value for money."

Jonathan Morris, Sustainability and Specification Director at Watkin Jones

"The challenges we face are balancing the objectives of various stakeholders, including communities, planning and investors. We need to think not just about building it good now, but how is that going to be in the long-term future. At Watkin Jones, our Design Standards include BIM models for all room types, enabling consistent design and coordination. Embodied carbon for these models is calculated using One Click LCA software, allowing us to integrate sustainability metrics directly into our design and management processes." We typically aim for 80% standardisation, allowing 20% where we can focus on specific local needs. The key thing is how we integrate technology and close that feedback loop where the information we're gaining post-construction is meaningful and shared back into the process."

Watch the full webinar