Sustainable Homes innovator Martin Rowbottom died last month but his influence carries on. Meanwhile, surprise surprise, MORI's housing attitudes survey shows that the vast majority of people want to own their homes.
Sustained memory
September brought news of the untimely death of Martin Rowbottom, director of Sustainable Homes, a Housing Corporation backed initiative by Hastoe Housing Association.

It developed from Hastoe's long tradition of testing new building techniques and products - including hi-tech - to provide objective assessments. Sustainable Homes has published a number of reports based on experience from various organisations.

Of particular note is the work on affordable water and 'embedded' energy. The research suggests that methods which reduce water consumption are probably preferable to grey water recycling. The energy report looks at both the financial and CO2 costs of building products.

Although mainly geared to social housing, the work of Sustainable Homes is relevant to anyone involved in residential development. Its website (www.sustainable homes.co.uk) includes a detailed database with assessments of more than 160 innovative schemes.

The organisation and the site are a tribute to Martin, who will be missed.

Tunnel vision
Among those influenced by the work of Sustainable Homes is the Southern Housing Group which this month sees the official opening of the first phase of its 'Millennium Plus' Nightingale Estate redevelopment marking the group's centenary.

Apart from limited grey water recycling in a few homes, it has followed Sustainable Homes' advice and gone instead for conservation methods backed up by advice to occupants.

The scheme is the first in the country to use Dutch-style concrete tunnel form construction, and is already beginning to show encouraging results.

The density of the walls means that sound transmission is extremely low and easily meets forthcoming regulations.

But it is energy costs which show the most spectacular results. For a 103m2 three storey five person house, heating and hot water bills come out at about £150 a year - just over £3 a week with VAT. That compares with more than £10 a week for older local authority housing.

Southern tenants on this scheme will benefit from these low costs but will be unaffected by rent restructuring because of the deal the group has done with Hackney council to restrict rises.

But there are issues for others. Heating costs do not come into rent equations. A high level of thermal efficiency is a target for many housing associations. However, this increases development costs which means higher rents. Clearly, some will have to consider how far they can go, as their ability to determine rents is affected by rent restructuring.

Own home
A major feature of the National Housing Federation's annual conference was the launch of MORI research into housing attitudes.

Overall, the results were fairly predictable. Owner occupation is the preferred tenure of 83%. Most people are satisfied with their homes. The 'owners' rating came out at 95%, but positive attitudes were apparent in all tenures - 83% for HAs, 81% for council, and 75% for private renters. Not that social renting is a favoured tenure for most people - only 17% agreed they would like to live in social housing if they could get it - 62% would not.

This is confirmed by Housing Corporation research which suggests that young people regard housing associations as a temporary tenure: no fewer than 83% of tenants under 25 hope to move out over the next ten years.

The MORI poll revealed that if more money is available for housing, 81% of people believe it should be used to improve social housing. That has pleased the NHF - but remember the 'if'.

Cross-fertilising
The NHF came in for heavy criticism from a couple of prominent members at the conference. Metropolitan Housing Trust's Tony Shoults accused it of failing to stand up to government, saying it had accepted price fixing by agreeing to rent restructuring rather than adopting outright opposition.

He said the NHF did not understand what a trade body was, and called for a smaller ruling national council - he's a member - just as it is proposing to increase from its present 36 members.

Another critic was Peter Redman of Notting Hill Housing Trust who believes the NHF should ditch its lobbying of government and focus on tenants and the general public. The poor old federation. It tries so hard. It even published a good delegate's guide, which explained how to listen, dress and 'cross-fertilise'!