The document summarizes key points from presentations at the Homes 2016 event on using technology to reduce costs for housing organizations. Speakers discussed using building information modeling (BIM) to facilitate collaboration and reduce construction costs by 20%. Opportunities from digital tools include monitoring property data, enabling new business models like robotic insulation, and data analytics. Behavioral insights can help understand tenants' repair requests and reduce them through small changes. Procurers were advised to make social value a clear requirement for suppliers to benefit communities. The future may include full BIM level 3 adoption and partnering with digital companies for innovation.

1. Homes 2016 event

2. Using technology to reduce the cost of
repair, maintenance and stock improvement
Talk by: Tom Lipinski,
Founder and Technical Director, Q-Bot

3. Digitisation on the built environment
• Housing looking towards Building Information Modelling
(BIM) level 3 to take it fully into the digital age
• Full collaboration between all disciplines (e.g.
developers, contractors, owners)
• Connected devices
• Data sensors and monitoring
• Centralised repository – one shared project model that
all parties can access – reduces risk of conflicting or
misplaced information
Using technology to reduce costs

4. Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Level 2
20% reduction in construction cost and a
similar reduction in carbon
Using technology to reduce costs

5. Opportunities
• An over-arching view of properties if all on one system
• Monitor energy usage, age of property/fittings, non-
compliance or upgrades needed against current
legislation – simple to keep track
• Allows for new digital business models to flourish such
as: Q-bot robotic insulation – less mess, less damage,
efficient, photographic evidence, digital survey of under
floor (all of which can be uploaded to central repository
for tracking and creating a complete archive)
• Data analytics – making good use of gathered data
(trends, easy searching, transparency)
Using technology to reduce costs

6. Managing repairs - a different perspective
Talk by:
John Swinney, Chief Executive, Just Housing Group
Anna O'Halloran, Managing Director, Just Housing Group
Kevin McCarthy, Executive Chairman, Just Housing Group

7. “We keep doing the same things , but it’s wrong”
We can do things a lot more efficiently than we’re doing now when it comes to
repairs
• Don’t be afraid to challenge and change the ‘standard’ contractor model
• Listen to innovative bids
• Keep away from ‘bottom dollar’ cheapest
Managing repairs - a different perspective

8. Reducing repair requests
• Humans are odd – but predictably so, by understanding
them we can nudge them in another direction
• This principle of ‘nudging’ can be applied to tenants too
– so we can change their behaviour for repair requests
• If we make one small change it can alter behaviour and
solve problems:
e.g. Schiphol Airport – their men’s urinals were awash
with urine, by adding a small fly sticker to the bottom of
the urinal it gave a place to aim and the issue
immediately cleared up and toilets were much cleaner –
it was a cheap solution too, the cost of a few stickers
Managing repairs - a different perspective

9. Behavioural insights
• The government has a Behavioural Insights Team that
looks at their customers behaviour to spot patterns and
to try and nudge them into the right action
• Small changes like adding the text “People that live in
your town usually pay their tax on time” resulted in
increased payments as they noticed that people liked to
be part of a group and the social norm
• There are patterns with tenancy and repairs too - large
portions of repair requests appear at the beginning and
end of a tenancy. Track your repairs and see the patterns
to determine what are trigger points for repair requests
Managing repairs - a different perspective

10. Social value and procurement
Talk by:
David Morgan, Managing Director, Wates Living Space
Kirsty Bower, Head of Procurement, Affinity Sutton

11. Social value through supply chain
• The Public Services (Social Value) Act came into force
on 31 January 2013. It requires people who
commission public services to think about how they
can also secure wider social, economic and
environmental benefits
• A good place to add social value is through suppliers
• Get suppliers to include social value in the contract
and tenders – get the whole supply chain to buy-in to
the social value ethos
• Track and record social value, and create a social
value database
Social value and procurement

12. Social value framework
• The 3 challenges for social value are:
1. Clarity
2. Consistency
3. Transparency
• Suppliers need to know what housing associations
consider social value and need to be guided
• The ‘Social Value & Procurement Toolkit’ by HACT is
a framework to help structure social value in the
procurement process and allow housing associations
and contractors to be on the same page
Social value and procurement

13. In action
• 4 pilot contracts (including Birmingham City council)
using the HACT social value calculator
• Suppliers can use the HACT community insight tool to
gain valuable data about a community before tender
stage – this has worked well for companies like Wates
(A leading UK building & construction company)
• Affinity Sutton have recorded £70m in social benefit
for 2015-2016
Social value and procurement

14. The future
The future of the housing
association is one of
technology, interconnectivity
and collaboration
BIM Level 3
The holy grail of the digital
age for housing associations
Digital partners
From digital agencies, IT
partners to robotics companies
– help is available to take your
housing association to the
next digital level
Event roundup
Behaviour
Behavioural insights can help
you understand your tenants
and predict outcomes – this
knowledge can help you put
processes in place to save
money
Social value
Suppliers are able to add social
value to your organisation – but
make sure requirements are
clear, consistent and
transparent
My Thoughts
There was a large innovation and digital
focus to Homes 2016. Looking at data
and also innovation to help streamline
each organisation and, most importantly,
to save money.
As a supplier of digital services to
housing associations we can help
innovate and move the industry forward.
We have the facilities (including and
innovation lab!) and the knowledge
~ Anna

15. Slides by: Anna Bravington
Account Director, Redweb
annabravington@redweb.com
Redweb.com - @Redweb
@annabravington