report
passive house
How do we get more people building their own homes?
economic capital are struggling to build their own home in a housing sector domi- nated by traditional models of construction and ownership. Dr Michaela Benson (Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths) has spent three years studying self-building as a form of housing provision in the UK. Her report, The Social in Self Build, explores the changing context of housing in Britain, from supply through to regulation, and the role this plays in contemporary self-build. She has conducted numerous interviews with those who have created their own homes. Dr Benson has explored a diverse range
A
of paths into self-building, from community focused projects to self-builds that weren’t planned but became necessary. She has found that while access to finan-
cial resources are a necessity in order to become a self-builder, even those with capital
new report from Goldsmiths, University of London suggests that even those with social, cultural and
find that the housing sector and related indus- tries just aren’t geared towards their needs. It’s apparent that more extensive adaptation of services and products to the needs of self- builders would be valuable if the industry is to be scaled up, Dr Benson argues. She says that the population of self-
builders can and should be more diverse: “Although the majority of self-build proj-
ects in England today result in home owner- ship, the community self-build sector also promotes self-build for social or private rent, while some innovative schemes such as LILAC centre on mutual home ownership,” she explains. “These are an important part of the hous-
ing landscape that present real opportunities to challenge the system of house buying and tenure as it currently stands. Self-building could challenge the dominant modes of hous- ing procurement and a market oriented towards home ownership and profit making.” Dr Benson’s report includes a number of recommendations aimed at shaking up the traditional housing sector and making self-
building a more viable option for a wider range of people: •Promotion and support for community models of self build should be maintained and publicised, to show people how building challenges can be overcome
•Mortgages for self builders should be more flexible and there should be more support for people to maintain cash flow throughout a project
•There should be more training and support for self builders to manage social relations with each other, and develop their organisational and management skills Michaela adds: “In conclusion, this
research suggests that practitioners and sup- porters of self build need to actively chal- lenge the structures of the housing and land market, as well as finding innovative solu- tions that work within these structures - as it is only in this way that self build projects can be scaled up.”
Learn how to build to Passive House standards with Saint-Gobain
O
n 21–22 October, Saint-Gobain UK holds a new edition of the Passive House Tradesperson
Course, giving industry professionals and experienced tradespeople an unmissable opportunity to learn how to build to Passive House standard and gain international accreditation for one of the world’s most effi- cient energy standards. Over two days of intensive hands-on training, attendees will learn from experts in the field about the Passive House princi- ples and the most important techniques, such as detailing correct airtightness testing and treatment, interpreting data from Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) and outlining the building methods to employ to avoid thermal bridging. There is growing demand for Passive
House buildings – in 2015, more than 1,000 Passive House buildings will be under construction in the UK, compared to just 100 in 2012. “This revolutionary course gives partici-
pants the tools they need to build a compet- itive advantage and improve their business prospects as Passive House certified experts”, says Stacey Temprell, Residential Sector Director for Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland. Two additional days of online training are also available for attendees who want to sit
the exam to receive international accredita- tion from the Passivhaus Institute as a certified Passive House Tradesperson. The exam will be held on 7 November. There is a 2 for 1 special offer available,
reserved for those who book their places before 2 October, as well as a CITB grant
funding of £50 per day – a total of £100 contribution towards the course cost. The Passive House Tradesperson Course
will take place at Saint-Gobain’s Technical Academy in Erith, Kent. For more information and to book places, visit
passivehousecourse.co.uk
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selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.co.uk
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