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BRE HQM Home Quality Mark

BRE HQM Home Quality Mark now open for registrations
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Following an extensive consultation with leading players in the house building industry BRE’s national quality mark for new housing – the Home Quality Mark (HQM)- is now open for registrations.

Designed to transform the way consumers choose the homes they buy and rent and allow house builders to differentiate themselves in the marketplace, the full standard for meeting the mark is now available online.

This first HQM beta version has evolved from a technical consultation carried out earlier this year with additional input from a wide variety of stakeholders at over 50 national events including; private and social housing developers, representative organisations, professional bodies, financial sector, legal sector, designers, consultants and also consumers. While it is a fully functioning scheme, industry is being encouraged to provide feedback on their in-use experiences which will be used to inform the next version.

We are very grateful for all support that we have had so far in the development of the HQM, there is already significant knowledge of the scheme which we will build upon over the coming year.

Using a simple star rating system the HQM will provide more reassurance to end users about the performance and quality of both the living space and the community. It will help local communities understand which proposed developments are a force for good and provide the financial sector with greater reassurance over investments.

HQM assessment registrations are now open in England (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will follow) and can be registered through a licensed HQM assessor. HQM registrations are Free for the first six months. Licensed HQM assessors can be found on www.greenbooklive.com

Charlie Luxton, Architectural Designer and TV presenter ‘The general public want high quality sustainable homes – but it is difficult to always understand what this means. The Home Quality Mark seeks to create a clear framework to help them learn more about their prospective new home and that can only be a good thing.’

Hugh Taylor, Head of Housing, Corporate Banking HSBC. ‘We welcome the launch of the Home Quality Mark as independent, third party verification of the quality of new homes provides both property purchasers and funders with support in their decision making. BRE have a wealth of experience in looking at build design and use and we wish them well in establishing the Home Quality Mark as a national standard.’

Paula Higgins, CEO, Home Owners Alliance ‘Home Owners Alliance welcomes the launch of BRE’s Home Quality Mark, the purchase of a home is peoples’ biggest financial commitment. Independent, verified information provides consumers with reassurance that they are making the right choice. We look forward to working with the HQM team further in the new year.’

Cllr David Mote, (Con) With the first garden city for 100 years being built in his ward Dartford Borough Councillor for Greenhithe, Cllr David Mote (Con) said: ‘I am sure the housing industry will welcome the launch of the Home Quality Mark. High new home standards for developing communities will provide new residents with the reassurance that their homes, including those that will be built the Ebbsfleet Garden Garden City, are constructed to the highest quality. I am sure it will also provide homebuilders with the means to show that they are creating communities that will help enhance both the image of new homes and the government’s garden city principles.’

Alan Brown, CEO, Cala Homes ‘Independent benchmarking of new homes is hugely important. For CALA, it provides third party recognition of our commitment to consistently build high quality, sustainable homes. For homeowners, it offers a simple and reliable measure of the energy performance of the property they are buying. We look forward to working with BRE on the new Home Quality Mark.’

Oliver Heath, TV presenter and Designer ‘I have been working for years to raise the benefits of healthy homes to the general public, it is great to see BRE’s Home Quality Mark helping to provide further information around the positive impact that homes can make on our health and wellbeing.’

Leading building science centre Home Quality Mark Standard is available at www.homequalitymark.com/standard

The response to the summer consultation will be available at www.homequalitymark.com/consultation2015

HQM team
hqm@bre.co.uk

www.homequalitymark.com

@homeqm #betterhomes