Sustainable development: Dandara Living and HQM 

With its inception in 1988, the Dandara Group has grown into a significant force in the UK housing market. In the years since the company began, it has developed and delivered over 22,000 homes and 1.7 million sq. ft of commercial and retail space. It is already a leading provider of residential homes and through Dandara Living is on course to become one of the largest developers and operators of build to rent homes in the UK.   
 
Treacy elaborates, "As Dandara Living Management, we manage many of the buildings we develop so have a long-term investment within the local community.  As a result, we create strong relationships with local organisations and enterprises which continue once residents move into our buildings.”  

One of the key challenges was ensuring effective handover of responsibilities between teams as the projects progressed through different RIBA stages.   
 
HQM provided a structured approach to address these challenges by offering clear guidelines and benchmarks for each stage of the project. The framework helped Dandara Living navigate the complexities of sustainable development and ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities between teams. 
  
Dandara Living's commitment to sustainability is exemplified by their ambitious pursuit of a 4-star HQM rating for new schemes, a goal that goes far beyond the regulatory minimum requirements. Achieving this level of excellence required careful design changes to meet the rating while ensuring the projects remained economically viable and attractive to potential tenants. By following HQM's guidelines for each project stage, Dandara Living successfully balanced sustainability and cost-effectiveness in their decision making.
  
The challenges faced during the projects prompted Dandara Living to adopt a more integrated approach, fostering better communication and collaboration among various departments. HQM's framework played a role in facilitating this integration by providing a common set of goals and benchmarks for all teams to work towards. Treacy discussed how HQM helped bring different departments together, ensuring that sustainability remained a priority throughout the project lifecycle. "The HQM focus has brought together teams and improved communication between functions like development, delivery and construction.”

Dandara Living chose HQM as a solution to their sustainability challenges due to its standardised sustainability benchmarking, which resonated well with both investors and residents. Treacy highlights, "HQM's holistic framework was instrumental in integrating our ESG strategy into our projects."   
 
This comprehensive approach to sustainability was a key factor in its selection, aligning with Dandara's company-wide goals and offering a clear framework for implementing ESG strategies. While other standards were considered, HQM was deemed the most comprehensive in meeting Dandara Living’s current needs and ambitions. 

Adopting HQM has significantly strengthened Dandara Living's commitment to sustainable housing and community development. "HQM formalises our sustainability commitment, acting as a differentiator and enabling us to meet specific sustainability targets," says Treacy. 
  
Dandara Living has set ambitious sustainability targets that align with HQM criteria, including:

• Developing a net zero carbon pathway and strategy by the end of the year, focusing on reducing embodied carbon and emissions across construction sites
• Achieving water usage of 105 litres per person per day, significantly lower than the regulatory requirement of 125 litres per person per day
• Reaching zero waste to landfill by 2030, by examining all waste streams and reducing packaging waste through supply chain engagement on take-back schemes and packaging streamlining

Treacy emphasises the importance of HQM certification in attracting and retaining investors, stating, "HQM is a critical component of our business model, as it aligns with the sustainability requirements of our investors."

HQM's recognition of the role that quality plays in sustainability has been instrumental in improving team cohesion and communication within Dandara Living's projects. By prioritising quality throughout all stages of development, HQM ensures that sustainability remains a central focus, fostering a collaborative approach among team members. 
  
In response to some of the HQM requirements, teams from Dandara Living Management are now involved earlier in the design process and this early involvement enhances operational efficiency and overall building quality, ensuring that the projects deliver sustainable homes that stand the test of time. 

Reflecting on their experience, Lesley Treacy and Jonathan Cheng, Sustainability Manager described the relationship between Dandara Living and HQM as one that has positively shaped the development of their housing projects. 

Treacy further elaborated on the positive impact of this relationship, emphasising how it has streamlined their approach to sustainable development and enhanced their market positioning. She highlighted that HQM has been instrumental in aligning their projects with their ESG strategy and ensuring that sustainability remains a priority across all RIBA stages. 

Treacy noted, "HQM helps avoid dilution of sustainability ambition and ensures that sustainability remains a focus across all RIBA stages." 

This statement underscores the crucial role HQM has played in maintaining Dandara Living's commitment to sustainability throughout the project lifecycle, from planning to post-occupancy. By adopting HQM, Dandara Living has not only strengthened its position as a leader in sustainable housing development but also demonstrated the tangible benefits of integrating a comprehensive sustainability framework into their projects. 

Learn more about HQM certification or contact us to discuss implementing HQM in your development.