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APPOINTMENTS & COMPANY NEWS
Industry perspectives on the evolving landscape of residential building design
W
e are witnessing a number of major trends to reshape building design in the residential sector driven
by a growing urgency to meet sustainability targets, the need to adapt to climate change and advances in technology Cedral surveyed 250 architects, building
specifi ers and construction professionals who are involved in the materials sourcing process to gain deeper insights into industry perspectives on challenges and opportunities in key areas including new builds, retrofi tting, modular construction, design and sustainability.
climate-conscious
Key fi ndings from the research 1. The increasing focus on sustainability and climate resilience has brought about a shift towards eco-friendly materials, while energy effi ciency and the need to withstand extreme weather conditions have become key design priorities.
2. Climate change is shaping design decisions,
affecting both building function and aesthetics.
3. New builds continue to represent the largest proportion of projects, driven by demand for housing, energy effi ciency and sustainability.
4. Retrofi tting and adaptive reuse are on the increase, particularly when it comes to increasing property value and achieving net zero targets.
5. Modular construction is gaining traction as a cost-effective construction method for residential building that allows for higher quality control while
The main driving forces behind this trend 1. Housing demand: With the UK government estimating that 300,000 new homes will be needed annually to meet the current demand for housing, over three quarters (77%) of architects and building specifi ers surveyed expect to see an increase in the number of new build projects in the next two years. 26 % expect to work on the same amount of new build projects in the next two years and only 10% anticipate that they will work on fewer new build projects in that time.
2. Energy effi ciency: Half (50%) of survey respondents expect to see an increase in new build projects because they are deemed more energy effi cient. Sustainability:
3. Almost half (47%)
of survey respondents expect to see an increase in new build projects in the next two years because they are deemed sustainable.
Additionally, three in 10 (31%) respondents say they expect to work on more refurb and retrofi t projects because of the government’s commitments to remediate non- conforming cladding on high rise residential buildings.
Modular construction will grow in importance
The industry is embracing modular construction as a means of delivering high- quality,
responsible buildings.
Not only do half (50%) of survey respondents report an increased focus on modular projects in the past fi ve years, but almost half (49%) expect this momentum to continue in the next fi ve years. Meanwhile, almost four in fi ve (78%) respondents agree that working with modular construction will become more important in the next one to two years, citing cost savings (57%)
effi cient and environmentally achieving 6. faster reduced waste.
Sustainability challenges persist, with high costs and lack of clear guidance creating barriers.
New builds continue to dominate New builds are set to remain a key focus area for residential design and construction, with three in fi ve (60%) survey respondents expecting to see an increase in these types of projects over the next two years.
delivery times and
Could refurbs and retrofi ts hold the key to future sustainable building? Three in 10 (30%) survey respondents have noticed a heightened focus on retrofi tting in the past fi ve years and half (50%) of those we surveyed expect to see an increase in refurbishment and retrofi t projects in the next two years.
The main reasons include 1. Boosting property value: Half (50%) of survey respondents say they expect to see an increase in these types of projects because they can increase the value of a building.
2. Sustainability: Just over two in fi ve (41%) survey respondents say the number of these types of projects will increase because they are deemed more sustainable. A third (33%) expect to see more retrofi t and refurb projects because of their importance for meeting net zero targets.
3. Rise in offi ce-to-residential developments: With many offi ce spaces now sitting vacant, these spaces now represent a major opportunity when it comes to tackling the UK’s housing shortage. two in fi ve (40%) respondents expect to see an increase in the number of refurb and retrofi t projects due to the rise in offi ce- to-residential developments.
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
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