SEC 2023: Points of focus

While procurement was naturally a big talking point at this year's SEC 2023 conference, attendees heard from sector exports of many other key housing issues.

As the South East Consortium (SEC) is a procurement organisation, you’d be forgiven for thinking their annual flagship conference would be all about procurement and nothing but. 

And yes, while procurement was a big talking point at SEC 2023 – which was all about ‘resetting the focus’ – delegates heard from experts, including CIH's James Prestwich, on a whole host of important sector issues, including net zero, digital transformation, and building safety. 

Here are the main points of focus. 

Asset management 

There was standing room only at a morning session featuring CIH’s own director of policy and external affairs, James Prestwich. 

The purpose of the session was to establish a longer-term view on asset management, and it was in this vein that James spoke of the repairs and maintenance element of the Better Social Housing Review, which was published last December. 

“We need to look at how effective we are at procuring,” he said. “It’s an area I think we can do a heck of a lot better in.” 

James pointed out the need to get repairs and maintenance right, particularly as it “is one of those pressure points between tenants and social landlords”. 

Part of the solution, he said, was to promote good practice and to constructively work with organisations to help them improve their work in this area. 

On a side note, James said the media and politicians needed “to take a long hard look in the mirror” at the way they characterise those who live in social housing in order to tackle the stigmatisation of tenants.

James Prestwich spoke at a session on the longer-term view of asset management

L&Q’s director of major programmes, Mark Newstead, spoke of the need to build more trust and understanding with contractors, pointing out that “some of the most unreliable data we’ve had this year has come from contractors”. 

He added, however, that “we are getting there”. 

Data and digital 

Does better data mean better homes? A session featuring speakers from BIM4HA, Turner & Townsend, and nima (formerly UK BIM Alliance) sought to answer that very question. 

For nima’s vice-chair Paul Wilkinson, effective use of data in part comes down to improved interoperability – i.e. the ease at which different computer programs that perform the same or similar function can interact. 

Wilkinson said poor interoperability can add as much as 3% to the cost of a project, as well as increase delays. 

He pointed to the five principles that, as he sees it, underpin interoperability: longevity, security, informational value, information ownership, and competition. 

Wilkinson added, however, that “it’s not just about the technology...it’s about the people and processes.” 

Emilia Cardmore, associate director of digital at Turner & Townsend, highlighted how digital can be used to improve and accelerate decarbonisation. 

She said the element of sustainability forms part of a good digital strategy, alongside being data-driven, smart, and collaborative. 

As for the original question of whether data can improve and help deliver better homes, panellists were in agreement that it could – provided it is accessible, usable, and shared. 

Decarbonisation 

The issue of decarbonisation and net zero is rightly an unavoidable topic at contemporary housing conferences – and SEC 2023 was no exception. 

Rafe Bertram, Enfield Council’s joint interim head of climate action and sustainability, spoke of how working on area-led projects, such as whole-community retrofit, can be more cost effective per person, as costs are more widespread. 

He added that we're now getting to a “tipping point”, where funding and financials will start becoming more worthwhile and valuable when it comes to net zero. 

He highlighted studies showing how each EPC increase can add value to a home and the availability of green mortgages, which offer better consumer rates. 

However, Bertram said councils (and other housing providers) would need to work closely with communities and put together a strong plan if they are serious about getting their stock to net-zero. 

Laura Marks – property, energy, and sustainability project manager at Oxford City Council – emphasised the need for communication with tenants “from day one” to get them on board; but to ensure stock surveys and data are up to date beforehand to avoid any disappointment later if homes don’t meet any funding requirements. 

She also said that, to get internal teams on board, it was important to provide wider department training as early as possible. 

Collaboration 

Veterans of housing conferences will be familiar with the topic of collaboration and the need to avoid working in silo. 

This topic was thoroughly broached at SEC 2023, too; however, while speakers emphasised the importance of working in partnership, they were also keen to point out how action often fails to match the level of talk. 

“If we’re honest, it never happens,” said Neil Diddams, director of property and assets at West Kent Housing Association, who called on attendees to proactively deliver on their promises around partnership working over the next 12 months, so they would have something to show for the next conference. 

Alison Nicholl, head of construction excellence at BRE, voiced a similar view. 

Speaking during the same session – a ‘fireside’ chat titled ‘Leading the change’ – she said: “Collaboration gets overused sometimes by people who say the word but don’t reply follow it up with their actions.” 

In an earlier session on delivering effective supported and sheltered housing, Hannah Gibbs, deputy chief executive of Future of London – a non-profit organisation that connects more than 5,000 urban practitioners so they can tap into practical solutions and new ideas – spoke of the need to collaborate too with other sectors, specifically health. 

Future of London’s own research found that 95% of those who work in the built environment sector believe collaboration is key to unlocking the affordable housing crisis. 

While Hannah highlighted the sectors’ shared challenges, such as stretched budgets and resources and the need to rebuild trust, she said the development such as integrated care systems were showing “signs of promise”. 

"If we collaborate at the right time, we can really improve the quality of homes for people in London and the South East,” she said.

• CIH was a media partner for SEC 2023