Episode six: Building Better Than Net Zero: Inside Greencore’s Blueprint for the Future Home
The Future Homes Standard will transform the way new homes are designed and delivered across the UK. But for Greencore Homes, building beyond minimum standards has always been part of the vision.
What does it take to deliver homes that are not only net zero in operation, but climate-positive by design? How do Modern Methods of Construction, fabric-first design and integrated clean energy technologies come together to create homes that are healthier, lower carbon and cheaper to run? And what role will SME housebuilders play in driving innovation across the wider industry?
In this episode of Shaping a Greener Tomorrow, host and UPOWA Managing Director Paul Terry is joined by Oliver Luard, Partnerships and Investment Director at Greencore Homes.
Together, they explore Greencore's Better Than Net Zero approach to housebuilding, discussing how climate-positive homes are being delivered through off-site manufacturing, timber-frame construction, bio-based materials, and integrated energy systems that combine solar PV, battery storage and low-carbon technologies from the earliest stages of design.
The conversation also explores why collaboration across the supply chain is becoming increasingly important as the industry prepares for the Future Homes Standard, and how SMEs can continue leading innovation while helping raise standards across UK housebuilding.
Key topics include:
Better Than Net Zero – How Greencore is redefining sustainable housebuilding through fabric-first design, low-carbon materials and integrated clean energy systems.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) – How off-site manufacturing, timber-frame systems and bio-based materials improve build quality, reduce waste and significantly lower embodied carbon.
Embodied carbon and operational performance – Why reducing carbon emissions during construction is just as important as improving energy efficiency once a home is occupied.
The Future Homes Standard – How upcoming regulation will accelerate innovation across the housing sector while encouraging developers to raise performance standards even further.
Supply chain collaboration – Why partnerships between developers, manufacturers and clean technology specialists are essential to delivering high-performance homes at scale.
Scaling sustainably – How Greencore is balancing ambitious growth with quality, innovation and long-term climate-positive outcomes.
SME innovation – Why smaller housebuilders play such an important role in testing new ideas and driving change across the wider industry.
Looking ahead – Oliver's vision for the future of sustainable housing and why the industry's greatest success will be raising standards for everyone.
Guest: Oliver Luard, Partnerships and Investment Director, Greencore Homes
Resources & mentions:
Greencore Homes
Future Homes Standard
UPOWA
Follow Shaping a Greener Tomorrow
You can tune in, listen and subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.
Join the conversation as we inspire change to help shape a more sustainable future for the built environment.
Follow UPOWA on LinkedIn for further insights and updates.
Feel free to reach out to us via email at marketing@upowa.co.uk