Delivering Quality Homes

What is quality?

There are many definitions put forward through planning policy and other avenues – and there will doubtless be many more over the coming years! The Municipal definition of ‘quality outcomes’ is shown here, taking in both the development phase and the ‘finished product’. 

Quality Outcomes In Development In use
Human Value Local engagement, considerate construction Comfort, health, privacy, affordability, safety, connection to nature
Social Value Local jobs, training schemes, supply change opportunities, diversity initiatives Neighbourliness, local character, generosity connectivity, inclusivity
Environmental Value Resource efficiency, embodied carbon, tree retention, waste minimisation Whole life resource efficiency, nature friendliness
Financial Value Efficient cost targeted at high impact items, value creation Long term VFM i.e. robustness, ease of management, minimal defects

Why invest in quality?

‘But how can we afford nice design?’

This is a phrase we often hear from clients, especially as we face viability challenges. Looking back at some of the new housing built rapidly after WWII, much of it is now being demolished. The question should rather be: ‘what will poor design quality cost us in future?’ Claire expands on investing in and finding the funding for quality here.


The Handbook 

The Delivering Quality Homes Handbook

Written by Claire for the GLA, the handbook provides public sector housing clients with four levers and 50 ideas to improve the quality of their built output through enhanced quality management.

Claire’s proposition is that much of the power to achieve quality in new housing lies in clients’ hands. Why?

  • They set the culture of the project 

  • They write the project brief and set the standards 

  • They procure the architects and set out their scope of service; they also procure developers or contractors and again, set their parameters through contract 

  • They steward the project and make financial decisions all the way through 

Of course architects and contractors then have a role to play. But without the clients’ culture, intelligent actions and stewarding, the project will not achieve high quality outcomes. 


Hero Projects

Our services

Designed around our Delivering Quality Framework, our services are arranged into four key themes. Find out how Municipal can support you on your quality journey. 

  • Delivering Quality Review

    We work closely with public sector housing clients to review their recent housing completions, and also to assess their culture, people and quality management practices. 

    Services:
    Delivering Quality Review


  • Culture/People 

    We help public sector clients to enhance or transform their quality culture, through a diagnostic of the quality culture and expertise of their leaders and wider team members. 

    Services:

    Cultural Audit

  • Briefs/Standards

    We help public sector clients to set clear and compelling standards for their housing development programmes as well as writing project briefs for complex major projects.

    Services:

    Design Standards Review,

    Brief Writing

  • Procurement

    We help public sector clients to procure the right development and design partners for their projects, ensuring that qualitative criteria are properly considered as part of the process.

    Services:

    Developer Procurement,

    Design Team Framework
    Procurement,

    Architect Competition

  • Scrutiny

    We help public sector clients to procure the right development and design partners for their projects, ensuring that qualitative criteria are properly considered as part of the process.

    Services:

    Design Review/Champion,
    Post-Occupancy Review