The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has announced a new task group which will develop a definition of social value for the built environment sector.
Despite growing interest, there is still significant confusion around social value in the context of the built environment. Planners, procurement teams and investors often don’t know what to require from delivery partners and sometimes set requirements in an inconsistent way. There are often calls for standardisation, particularly around the measurement of social value, but also for flexibility, with practitioners recognising that social value must be considered in local contexts.
The task group aims to develop a definition of social value that is relevant to a broad variety of development types, geographies and communities, providing the industry with a common language, consistent principles and an agreed hierarchy of delivery.
UKGBC will undertake a consultation later this summer to canvas views across the industry to inform the definition.
The task group is being supported by, and includes representation from, the following trade associations, professional institutions and non-profit organisations:
- Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) British Property Federation (BPF)
- Buildings Research Establishment (BRE)
- HACT
- Local Trust
- Quality of Life Foundation
- Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Supply Chain Sustainability School
- Urban Land Institute (ULI)