Keynote speaker: Alex Norris - Building safety minister
Room: Broadgate 2
Time: 9.30am-10.00am
The minister for building safety, fire and local growth, Alex Norris MP, will be joining us as a keynote speaker at this year's Building the Future Conference.
Norris was appointed to this role last year and has been the MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley since June 2017.
His role includes: building safety, regulations, the Grenfell Inquiry response, local and regional growth, investment zones and more. Join us on 2 October to hear his valuable insights and expertise, providing crucial context and perspective to important conversations around the built environment's future.
Responding to the latest building safety regulations – Implications for project delivery
Sponsored by:
Room: Broadgate 2
Time: 10.00am-11.00am
This session will delve into the sector’s response to evolving building safety regulations and their broader impact on construction, planning, and compliance. A particular focus will be placed on Planning Gateways 2 and 3, which introduce greater scrutiny at key project stages to ensure that safety is embedded from design through to completion.
Panellists will explore how these gateways are reshaping project approvals, risk management practices, and responsibilities across the supply chain.
The discussion will also consider proposed changes, such as the establishment of a single construction regulator and the role of a chief construction adviser in providing centralised oversight. These developments could significantly influence industry governance, accountability, and enforcement strategies.
Speakers include:
Responding to the latest building safety regulations – Implications for business operations
In partnership with:
Sponsored by:
Room: Broadgate 2
Time: 11.30am-12.30pm
As regulatory expectations grow, so too does the emphasis on professional competence. This second session will examine the frameworks being introduced to ensure that individuals working on high-risk buildings possess the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to meet new safety standards.
Discussion will focus on licensing schemes, qualification requirements, and certification processes designed to elevate professional standards across the industry. Panellists will also highlight how these changes are likely to affect built environment businesses, projects, and workforce development strategies.
Industry experts will share successful approaches to building robust training programmes, supporting lifelong learning, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement. This session will underscore the importance of moving beyond compliance, showcasing how a commitment to competence and excellence can lead to lasting transformation in building safety practices.
Speakers include:
Will new regulations revolutionise product safety and traceability?
Sponsored by:
Room: Broadgate 2
Time: 3.30pm-4.30pm
As the construction industry moves towards a new era of product safety, this session explores the latest regulatory advancements designed to enhance the integrity of building materials. The panel will examine the newly established general safety requirements and their transformative impact on the supply chain.
A key focus will be the introduction of digital product passports, showcasing how technology can revolutionise transparency and traceability in construction materials. The session will also delve into enhanced labelling standards, unpacking their implications for manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users alike.
The session will also examine the vital role of passive fire protection, assessing how improved material standards and installation practices can enhance the long-term safety of buildings. With increasing emphasis on product safety and traceability, the panel will discuss how digital tools such as product passports can support compliance and accountability.
Through a dynamic discussion, industry leaders will share practical strategies for implementing these new regulations, addressing both challenges and opportunities.
This session will equip participants with the insights and tools needed to navigate the evolving product safety landscape, ensuring compliance while fostering innovation in material integrity.
Speakers include:
Keynote speaker: Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chief executive, L&Q
Room: Broadgate 1
Time: 10.00am-10.30am
Fiona was appointed as L&Q’s chief executive in September 2020.
With almost 30 years of experience in the housing sector, Fiona has worked in several voluntary and public sector roles including advising homeless people in Dublin, housing management, development and regeneration, strategy and policy development.
Fiona was previously L&Q’s director of development and sales, spearheading a £5.1bn development programme.
While in this role, Fiona led L&Q's development and strategic land programmes, including landmark projects such as the 10,800-home Barking Riverside development. She also oversaw the group’s expansion beyond the South-east and delivered change programmes to improve the efficiency and diversity of the housing associations's development and sales function.
The Housing Forum Existing Stock Forum – in partnership with The Housing Forum
Making best use of existing stock – allocations, vacancy chains, downsizing and reducing use of temporary accommodation
Room: London Wall
Time: 10am-11.30am
The Housing Forum is the cross-sector body for the housing sector, with member organisations spanning the whole of the housing supply chain.
Our Existing Stock series of events focus on issues around asset management, decarbonisation and housing management, and are particularly popular with our housing association and council membership.
The Housing Forum has partnered with Housing Today for this Existing Stock Forum which will focus on how the whole of the housing sector can come together to ensure we make best possible use of social housing.
Can we match households to housing more effectively? What do we need to build to encourage older people in larger homes to downsize, or to allow overcrowded families to upsize, freeing up chains of moves within the sector?
What should we be building to facilitate a chain of new lettings for each new home?
Numbers in temporary accommodation are soaring and councils finding it harder than ever to build the new social housing that most people seek, putting ever-growing pressure on finances – can we be more creative with the way we use allocation schemes to incentivise people to find the best possible housing while they wait?
Unlocking housing delivery: How do we deliver the government's 1.5 million home goal and £39bn Affordable Homes Programme?
Room: Broadgate 1
Time: noon - 1pm
TThe UK government has set an ambitious target to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the course of this Parliament—a goal that demands bold action, cross-sector collaboration, and fresh thinking across the housing system and the government's 10-year, £39bn Affordable Homes Programme will be a key part of this. This panel will explore the practical steps needed to unlock housing delivery at scale, with accelerating affordable housing provision across both the public and private sectors at the heart of the session.
Bringing together voices from government, local authorities, housing associations, and developers, the session will examine the barriers—policy, planning, finance, and land—and spotlight innovative approaches already making an impact. What are the biggest opportunities to boost supply? How can the sector align on outcomes that serve both growth and social equity? And what role should central and local government play in enabling delivery?
Speakers include:
Navigating the social housing regulatory landscape
Room: Broadgate 1
Time: 4pm-5pm
As the regulatory landscape for social housing continues to evolve, staying ahead of compliance requirements is more critical than ever. This panel will explore the key elements of the current regulatory framework, including the new consumer standards, building safety obligations under the Building Safety Act, and other pertinent legislation impacting social housing providers.
Our expert panel will delve into how these changes affect governance, resident engagement, accountability, and risk management. We'll examine practical approaches to implementing the new requirements, discuss the role of the Regulator of Social Housing, and highlight best practices to ensure compliance while maintaining high-quality service delivery.
Speakers include:
