Refine 2025: Exploring the future of sustainable housing

Last Tuesday, White Arkitekter’s London office hosted the first Refine event of 2025, bringing together experts to discuss the UK government’s ambitious pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. Part of White Arkitekter’s recurring event series, Refine delves into pressing architectural and urban development topics, with this edition focusing on sustainable housing at scale.

Through a dynamic panel discussion, experts shared insights and strategies for achieving sustainable housing at scale. Drawing on examples from the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, the conversation explored approaches such as new towns, estate regeneration, and retrofitting, offering valuable lessons on balancing housing needs with environmental goals.

The panel featured Linda Thiel (White Arkitekter), Kevin Logan (Maccreanor Lavington), Russ Edwards (Latimer by Clarion Housing Group), and Selasi Setufe (GLA & Black Females in Architecture), with Phineas Harper (Design Council Homes Taskforce) as chair.

Thought-provoking questions shaped the evening’s discussion: who are these homes for, and how can we ensure they contribute to resilient cities? The conversation emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to housing, highlighting the importance of balancing market readiness, inclusivity, and sustainability. It also underscored the value of engaging all stakeholders, including future generations, to create housing that supports both social and environmental well-being.

Insights from past successes, such as Sweden’s coordinated housing developments in the 1960s and 70s, highlighted the value of public investment and long-term infrastructure planning. Additionally, examples from Sweden and the Netherlands raised the question: what can the UK learn from their planning policies and contract requirements to control land speculation and prioritise build quality?

We need to use our imaginations and break out of the status quo.

Key takeaways from the evening included:

  • Eliminating VAT on retrofit and nature-based building materials to incentivise sustainable construction.
  • Establishing long-term national and local government strategies to provide certainty for developers and support coordinated urban development.

While the event raised more questions than answers, the animated discussions among the panel and audience sparked ideas for collective industry action to meet the government’s housing targets while positively impacting both people and the planet.

Photography: Rafael Ferrés Echavarren

A special thanks to our chair, Phineas Harper, and speakers Selasi Setufe, Russ Edwards, Kevin Logan, and our own Linda Thiel for their thought-provoking contributions. We also extend our gratitude to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions.

Refine: White Arkitekter in London's quarterly architecture & urban development series

Refine is White Arkitekter in London’s quarterly series of events dedicated to the exploration of key topics in architecture and urban development. If you are interested in receiving invitations to future events, please send an email.

The lead image shows Gascoigne West Phase 2, completed in mid-2024, which introduces 386 new homes and a 1,500 sqm playground—setting a new benchmark for equitable and sustainable urban living. Developed by Be First, the urban regeneration company for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and designed by White Arkitekter, the project embodies Scandinavian principles of wellbeing, climate resilience, and community-centred design. Photography: Paul Riddle

Interested in learning more? Get in touch!

Michael Woodford

Michael Woodford

Architect, Office director

London

+44 203 667 27 34

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