Learning from the Industry: Matt Visits Future Homes Outreach Day

The day offered a valuable opportunity to see emerging technologies in action, to hear from other builders navigating similar challenges, and to consider how elements of this work could inform our future design thinking here at Skipton Properties.

On Site at Barton Quarter, Bolton

Matt began the day at Bellway’s Barton Quarter development in Horwich, a site where over 450 homes are being built on a regenerated industrial site. The development also includes Bellway’s new Future Hub training facility. There, Matt took part in a guided walk-through of one of their “Future Homes” under construction, which included a range of technical features such as:

• Air source heat pumps
• Triple glazing
• Enhanced insulation
• Underfloor heating
• Mechanical ventilation systems (MVHR/dMEV)
• PV-ready roof structures

The live site tour helped to demystify how these systems are being implemented in practice, not just on the drawing board and highlighted where practical considerations (like pipework placement or underfloor build-ups) require close collaboration between trades and designers.

Testing Innovation at Energy House 2.0

The second half of the day took place at the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0, a climate-controlled research facility where homes are tested under a range of weather conditions. Matt was able to explore Bellway’s test home and hear about how its technologies are performing in simulated UK climates, from cold snaps to summer heatwaves.

It was particularly valuable to see how the building fabric and systems are coming together in practice, and to hear first-hand about what’s working well and what’s still being refined.

Taking a Balanced View on the Future

The event, attended by over 30 small and medium-sized housebuilders & suppliers, was framed around the Future Homes Standard – the government’s plan for reducing carbon emissions from new homes. While we fully support the industry’s direction of travel in improving building performance, it’s important to us that any changes are practical, cost-effective, and genuinely beneficial for our homeowners.

As Sarah Barraclough, our Managing Director, recently shared on BBC Radio 4, the balance between environmental ambition and real-world feasibility is something acutely important. Events like these give us the opportunity to observe what’s being trialled, ask critical questions, and think independently about what’s right for Verity & Co Homes and our customers.

What Matt Brought Back

Matt returned with a renewed appreciation for:

• The importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to deliver on emerging design standards
• The impact that thoughtful detailing can have on layout efficiency and overall home performance
• The potential for certain technologies, like air source heat pumps and mechanical ventilation, to play a role in future-proofing our homes, when applied thoughtfully and in the right context
• The importance of how we explain new technologies to our customers to ensure they are used efficiently and optimise their performance  

Looking Ahead

We’ll continue to monitor developments in this space while staying true to our design-led ethos and commitment to quality. As ever, we believe that homes should be inviting and practical above all else, built to support families for generations to come, whilst also being responsive to the changing climates we experience.

This visit forms just one part of our wider approach to innovation: exploring ideas, listening to the industry, and ultimately crafting homes that are as considered as they are comfortable.