Taking place on Wednesday 25 February at the Coventry Building Society Arena, this must-attend event offers something for everyone involved in new home construction
BEYOND ’26 LIVE looks at the challenges and opportunities facing UK house building today.
Attendees can expect to hear from experts on innovation, sustainability, skills, construction quality and regulatory change, with keynote presentations, interactive sessions and live demonstrations designed to inspire, inform and challenge industry thinking.
The event will also incorporate a full exhibition, dedicated networking space and a wide variety of workshops and training sessions throughout the day.
2026: An important time for home building
Against the backdrop of the government’s ambition to deliver 1.5m new homes by the end of this parliament, the industry faces a critical period as it balances the demand for new homes with the need for quality, safety and sustainability.
That is why this national event will bring together more than 1,200 professionals and over 35 insightful speakers to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the sector, including the skills shortage, quality, innovation in new home building and so much more.
Cassandra Codling, Senior Regional Director at NHBC, said: “The challenges facing the house-building industry are significant, but they also present a tremendous opportunity to innovate, lead and deliver lasting change. The next few years will be transformational for UK house building. Meeting the government’s ambitious housing targets is vital if we are to tackle the national shortage of homes, but doing so in a market shaped by skills shortages, planning delays, rising costs and fragile consumer confidence will require collaboration and resilience.”
Innovation, skills and building quality homes across the UK
The BEYOND ‘26 LIVE conference programme will tackle the biggest questions facing UK house building today including:
- How the industry can deliver 1.5m new homes while maintaining quality, safety and sustainability.
- The impact of the Future Homes Standard and how to build for climate resilience.
- Closing the skills gap and developing the workforce for modern house building.
- Insights from NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards on leadership and achieving excellence on site.
- Advances in timber frame construction, roofing quality, water efficiency and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).
- The latest updates on regulation, including the Building Safety Levy and NHBC Standards 2026.
Attendees will also benefit from hands-on demonstrations, insightful panel debates, practical workshops and opportunities for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), alongside networking with industry peers and suppliers.
Expert speakers
Hosted by broadcaster Louise Minchin, the headline session The Future of the New Homes Market: Perspectives on Delivering Growth, featuring Jennie Daly, Mark Farmer and Ian Workman, will offer insights on delivering growth, quality and sustainability.
Jennie Daly, Chief Executive Officer at Taylor Wimpey
Appointed CEO in April 2022, Jennie has been Group Operations Director at Taylor Wimpey since 2018. With extensive experience at Redrow Homes and Harrow Estates, Jennie will offer a unique perspective on delivering growth.
Mark Farmer, Founder and Board Executive at Cast Consultancy
With over 35 years’ experience in construction and real estate, Mark is a recognised international commentator on a variety of industry and policy-related issues. Mark will consider what is required to support growth in the construction industry.
Ian Workman, Chief Customer Officer from Homes England
With over three decades experience in the banking industry, including roles at Barclays, Recognise Bank and the Yorkshire Building Society, Ian will reflect on the future of new homes in the UK.
The day will also feature speakers from leading companies across the house building industry including:
Andrew Day, Sustainability Director at Hill Group
Andrew joins Elaine Toogood, Senior Director at the Concrete Mineral Products Association, and Richard Lankshear, Programme Director at the Future Homes Hub, for a lively panel discussion on Regulation and Innovation: The Roadmap to Low-Carbon Construction Products.
Jamie Bursnell, Head of Technical and Innovations at Bellway
With 20 years working in the energy sector, Jamie has expertise in leading teams and businesses towards better energy management. He joins Professor Richard Fitton, Professor of Building Performance at the University of Salford, and Oliver Novakovic, Technical & Innovation Director at Barratt Developments, to consider energy use in new homes in the session Beyond the Lab: What Energy House 2.0 Taught Us About Future Homes.
Nigel Cates, New Homes Ombudsman at the New Homes Ombudsman Service
Nigel will be joined by NHBC’s Head of Technical Claims, Paul Cribbens, to provide practical guidance on reducing complaints and improving service in the session Insights from the New Homes Ombudsman: Trends and Tips to Avoid Complaints.
Andrew George, Director of Industry Attraction and Skills at the Home Builders Federation
With more than 250,000 extra construction workers needed by 2028 just to meet the current housing demand, Andrew will lead the session The Home Building Sector Skills Plan: Addressing Workforce Challenges and Building Capacity, exploring workforce challenges, talent pipelines and how NHBC Training Hubs contribute to developing the next generation of skilled home builders.
Get hands-on
In addition to expert insights from policymakers and industry leaders, BEYOND ’26 LIVE will deliver practical hands-on content including tailored sessions ideal for trades, site managers, quality managers, technical and construction directors.
On the roofing stage you can join expert-led sessions demonstrating best practice and the most common roofing defects that drive costly claims, especially in these five key areas: underlay, Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) chimneys, dormers, abutments and solar panels.
The timber frame zone offers an immersive experience that will boost confidence and competence for beginners, experts and everyone in between. You will also get the chance to test your skills by building a miniature timber frame house.
And, with technical ‘deep dives’ from NHBC experts Alexis Stickley, Standards and Technical Manager and Duncan Arrandale, Technical Insights Manager, as well as partners on water efficiency, solar panels and innovations that support quality and compliance, BEYOND ’26 LIVE is not to be missed.
Get your tickets today
Don’t miss out! Book your tickets now at nhbc.co.uk/beyond
*Please note that this is a commercial profile.
