This event took place at STEAMhouse, based in Birmingham, and brought together a diverse range of over 30 industry leaders, policymakers, academics, and stakeholders to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: the UK housing crisis.
Exploring Resilient Housing Solutions for the UK
The event explored how cross-sector collaboration can drive the development of resilient neighbourhoods that meet the needs of future generations and the challenges they will face. With the government’s ambitious goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes during this parliamentary term, the housing sector faces significant challenges, including affordability issues, aging housing stock, skill shortages, building safety concerns, and the growing impact of climate change. Participants explored how we can embrace the recent change in the political landscape to best overcome barriers collectively, building resilient neighbourhoods fit for generations to come.
Ibstock Commitment to Resilient Homes and Communities
Ibstock Plc, a leading manufacturer of building materials with over 200 years of industry expertise, is accelerating their journey to inspire innovation in housebuilding. The company’s commitment to enabling the creation of high-quality, resilient homes and supporting thriving communities seamlessly aligns with STEAMhouse’s mission to enable innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Joe Hudson, CEO at Ibstock Plc stated: “By working together with key stakeholders, we aim to challenge the status quo and shape a new era of housebuilding – as we are so much more than a building materials manufacturer. This event is an opportunity to collectively explore solutions that will ensure our neighbourhoods remain resilient and vibrant for generations to come.”
STEAMhouse’s Role in Driving Innovation for Housing Solutions
STEAMhouse, an award-winning centre for innovation powered by Birmingham City University, has supported over 1,000 organisations in driving impactful change, and is a place where businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, creatives, students, and organisations co-exist to solve real-world problems and develop new ideas.
Vita Woods, Innovation Manager at STEAMhouse added: “We’re proud to partner with Ibstock Plc to bring together such a diverse mix of professions and perspectives from across the sector who, through collaboration, can make our neighbourhoods more resilient. By applying curiosity, we can explore the commonalities and tensions that exist within sectors and accelerate the move from conversation to action and work together to ensure we are all playing our best role in leading change.”
Collaborative Workshops Focused on Future Housing and Community Building
Participants at the event engaged in dynamic workshops and discussions that interrogated systemic and emerging challenges, whilst also envisioning future opportunities for creating higher quality housing and resilient neighbourhoods. Younger participants in the event voiced their concerns around how new neighbourhoods are developed, including their resilience to climate change and how strong communities and support networks are forged.
Key Emerging Themes for Building Resilient Neighbourhoods
The diverse group explored key emerging themes in the housebuilding industry, including how we can all play a role in future-proofing neighbourhoods against climate change, creating inclusive communities of connection and belonging, and getting the balance right between community power and stewardship. To address these challenges, a consensus was reached on how key stakeholders across the built environment need to better enable a sense of place and pride, use adaptable methods and materials in housebuilding, and encourage resource sharing and connectivity, all while placing sustainability at the heart of their actions. Creating resilient neighbourhoods that foster a sense of community was revealed as a top priority for the industry, beyond the building.
The Call to Action: Continuing Momentum for Resilient Neighbourhoods
At the end of the event, participants all pledged to take action individually and collectively to continue the momentum of creating resilient neighbourhoods that shape a new era of housebuilding and make meaningful change for every one of us.
