We know that in order to be healthy we need to take care of our bodies and minds. But to what extent does our home affect our health and how can developers promote positive wellbeing when building new homes to rent?
This is the question Senior Associate, Shreena Avery, considered in a panel discussion with Jordan Relfe (LifeProven), Gill Eaton (Iceni Projects), Andrew Southern (Southern Grove) and Ben Prevezer (Mason & Fifth) on 24 June 2020. Click here to watch the recording.
Wellbeing is a buzz word when it comes to fitness and lifestyle but it may not be something you would necessarily consider in relation to your home or particularly in the Build to Rent (BtR) sector. However, the concept of wellbeing in our homes does exist and has become an increasingly important factor in the last few years. In fact, our panellists are predicting a growth in the area, primarily as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, so it seems that the concept of wellbeing is here to stay.
So what is wellbeing in property?
The panellists described wellbeing as a desire to live well and opined that a person's home environment was integral to that. Just as we all try to eat well and do regular exercise, we are also likely to want to sleep well and have access to green space, and our home environment impacts all areas of our health & wellbeing.
Take a good night's sleep for example; it is important for BtR developers to consider the location of bedrooms and the general acoustics of a room; can neighbours in the adjoining flat be heard? How could this impact on sleep and how can developers minimise the impact of noise when designing these homes? There are also practical ways to link homes to health, said Jordan, of LifeProven, such as a layout which encourages the use of stairs rather than lifts.
How has Covid-19 impacted on wellbeing in property?
The global pandemic has caused a shift in the type of lifestyles that people want to lead. There is now a greater interest in wanting to live in a community such as a co-living space, even in big cities like London. People crave connectivity with others and some BtR developers, such as Mason & Fifth, have been quick to design their spaces to allow for this connection with others, providing shared living spaces against the backdrop of luxury rooms.
There is also an increased focus on the link between home and health and the panellists suspected that residents choosing somewhere to rent will look for buildings which reflect this. Ben, of Mason & Fifth, suggested there are two sides to wellbeing within buildings; on the one hand "keeping the harm out" by building using healthy materials and introducing air quality measures and on the other hand "bringing the good in" by creating calming spaces with a good sense of support.
How should developers view wellbeing in property?
It is possible that including wellbeing measures in new BtR developments could increase the initial capital outlay of a build. However, the panellists suggested that savings could be made in other aspects of the build and the funds redistributed to wellbeing initiatives. Ben suggested that the initial increase would result in a higher standard of living for the residents and a premium priced offering whilst simultaneously futureproofing the development for long term gains on investment.
Andrew of Southern Grove echoed this view. From his experience of wellbeing in the student living sector he has found that savings can be made based on the initial land cost and on the popularity of the buildings. As students enjoy living in the buildings, they continue to live there for longer, resulting in a reduction in referral and renewal fees.
From a planning perspective Gill Eaton of Iceni Projects, indicated that a good place to start to ensure wellbeing is considered early on would be to focus on designing the buildings around the idea of "people functioning well". Gill reminded the panel that the planning system and the NHS evolved at the same time, with the focus of planning to address health inequalities such as poor housing and sanitation. Whilst Gill has seen a shift towards "healthy planning" there is still work to be done.
The future
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the panellists reported an increase in the importance of wellbeing as a factor for residents when considering their next move. Developers must start to take into account how they can better design their BtR schemes with wellbeing at the forefront. The panellists stressed the point that it is never too early to start incorporating wellbeing into the design of BtR schemes; in fact, the sooner the better.
We may also start to see an increased demand for moves outside of cities where access to green and open spaces is becoming more popular.
As we all start prioritising our health and wellbeing, BtR developers will need to "catch up" and think about redesigning their spaces to cater for the increasing need to create homes that are good for our health. The panellists believed that wellbeing in property should be a priority, and not an afterthought when it comes to designing BtR spaces. Engagement with the right advisers (such as health & wellbeing consultants and architects) at the outset is key.
And let's not forget the importance of planning; a good starting point will be undertaking a Health Impact Assessment. Gill discussed how Health Impact Assessments are becoming more mainstream. About 30% of local planning authorities currently have these policies in their local plans. However, it is a mixed picture as there are gaps and issues remain with permitted development schemes, from office to residential, where no consideration has been given to residential amenities.
It is not just residents that are driving this change; investors and funders are also likely to take this view as the importance of social value and social responsibility climbs higher up the list of "must haves" before these parties engage with BtR developers .
Given the amount of time we actually spend in our home (with the average time having increased, no doubt, as a result of the pandemic), it is no wonder that we are starting to put our wellbeing at the top of our priority list, and developers are responding accordingly. Other developers will no doubt follow suit and we hope that this will now become the "new normal" when designing homes for the future.
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