Springfield Group’s sustainability initiative

July 4, 2023

The Springfield Group is the first housebuilder in the UK to take part in a forward-thinking initiative to benchmark sustainable practices across the industry.

Springfield Partnerships, Dawn Homes, Walker Group, Tulloch Homes, and Mactaggart & Mickel Homes, a housebuilder of private and affordable homes, performed remarkably well in the NextGeneration Core initiative. This achievement highlights the focus the group puts on delivering energy efficient homes, as well as the support it gives to staff, customers, and the communities in which it builds.

NextGeneration was first established in 2006 to provide an external assessment of the largest 25 housebuilders in the UK. The body has recently launched NextGeneration Core to encourage small to medium-sized businesses to benchmark their own performance.

The Springfield Group is the first housebuilder to engage with NextGeneration Core, ultimately setting the standards for which others will now be measured. Through the voluntary scheme, it was assessed against 14 key criteria including the company’s policies for reducing energy use and waste, its health and safety standards, its commitment to placemaking and affordable housing, and educating its workforce.

In particular, the Springfield Group was praised for its use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), with evaluators noting that 100% of its homes are built from sustainable timber in its own kit factories in Scotland. Its high performance in MMC outshines the 41% benchmark[1] currently set by the industry and demonstrates the Springfield Group’s drive for greater standards of sustainability.

Its lead on net zero also stood out. To date the Springfield Group has successfully delivered over 60 developments with homes heated entirely by air-source technology. Last year alone, this resulted in over 30% of its homes built being delivered without gas. With other housebuilders only just beginning to pilot this new technology, the group’s head start was commended.

Looking beyond efficiency standards, the company has an exceptional track record in creating sustainable communities and skills development amongst its workforce, including a strong commitment to apprenticeship training.

Innes Smith, Chief Executive at Springfield Properties said: “Since we began building homes in the 1990s, Springfield has been focused on exploring innovations in sustainability, finding new ways to reduce our footprint, and positively impact the communities in which we build. As our business grows, we remain committed to the importance of these measures.

“It’s very satisfying to receive recognition for the good things we do through our high performance in the NextGeneration Core initiative, especially in the lead we have taken in adopting Modern Methods of Construction at our kit factories and in the delivery of homes using net zero technology. However, the lasting impact that we have on our customers by delivering energy efficient homes, on our employees through our care and investment in them, and on the communities in which we build to ensure a positive legacy, is what is most important to us at Springfield.”

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