Sophie Taysom, Author at

The impact of housing on health (Part 2)

July 27, 2020November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

In the previous article I touched on some of the evidence emerging of the impact of housing on health during lockdown. The issues with poor housing stock are certainly not new and follow years of a lack of investment. This issue has become all the more acute during lockdown and could provide real impetus for change. Moving forward, there are real opportunities to affect positive change – at both the local and national levels. There is strong local case to be made for urgent community engagement, action and investment, as we move from the national to regional and local lockdowns. I also want to provide a few reflections on just some of the recent government announcements with regards to the property sector. Local considerations There are clear indications that the negative physical and mental health impacts for those living in homes that fail to meet decent housing standards, coupled with factors such as overcrowding or isolation, have been exacerbated by the closure of many...

The impact of housing on health (Part 1)

July 23, 2020November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Our homes and neighbourhoods are critical factors in our health and wellbeing. This has very much come to the fore during lockdown. In this two part series, first I touch on the current and emerging evidence of the impact of housing on health. I then put forward suggestions for where action is needed, now and in the longer term at both local and national levels. The context Disparities in living conditions have become all the more apparent during lockdown. Nearly a third, 31% of adults in Britain (15.9 million people) have had mental or physical health problems during lockdown as a result of poor quality and/or overcrowded housing (National Housing Federation, 2020a). Unless there is urgent change, this picture will only get worse as we move to targeted local lockdowns. In response to this crisis, the National Housing Federation has launched a campaign, #HomesAtTheHeart. The aim is to put social housing at the heart of national economic and social recovery by investing in...

Plantech and the future of planning

October 2, 2019November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Data is critical in urban planning. But are we taking full advantage of it? How could a data informed and digitally enabled planning system benefit citizens, developers, local authorities and government? And what is Plantech? These are important questions. Not only does data about the built environment help us understand how cities work, it provides insight into how cities are changing, and what we will need to meet these changes. This is critical in the development of local development plans. In England, the requirement for these is set in law. These plans set out a vision and a framework for the future development of the area. You can read more about local planning process here. These are just a few of the issues raised at the London Property Alliance’s NextGen: Future of Planning Seminar. Attendees were welcomed by Jack Brewster, Director of Development at Grosvenor GBI and WPA NextGen Steering Group member. This was then followed by a presentation by Stefan Webb, Director...

Smart Buildings: Getting the balance right

September 30, 2019November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

In the previous articles on smart buildings and their risks, we’ve explored what we mean by ‘smart buildings’ and outlined what they have to offer to the commercial built environment. We have also touched on why the issue of data in the context of the built environment and ‘smart buildings’ needs serious consideration as emerging technologies such as facial recognition converge with established legal principles for human rights and equalities. Most property professionals are already familiar with the concept of buildings and their digital twins: the Centre for Digital Built Britain published the Gemini Principles on data management in December 2018. We need to embed these principles in the built environment; a ‘cradle to grave’ approach to the whole life of a building - which, as we all know, starts well before anything happens on the ground! Our focus in this article is what this might mean in practice, so that we can make the most of the opportunities on offer while...

Smart buildings and data risks

September 26, 2019November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

This is the second of three articles produced collaboratively by Dr Sophie Taysom, an independent consultant at Keyah Consulting, and Dr Sue Chadwick, a Strategic Planning Advisor at Pinsent Masons LLP, on smart buildings and data. In the previous article, Sophie set out some of the opportunities and challenges in the development and maintenance of smart buildings. The focus of this article by Sue is the more problematic aspects of smart buildings – in particular the collection, storage, and sharing of data. We point to the current concerns around automatic facial recognition (AFR). Most of us are familiar with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act (GDPR) that came into force last year. The key principles established include that a data controller must have a lawful basis for processing personal data and in the case of special category data, obtain specific consent for the processing, and a requirement for consent to be 'unambiguous' and indicated through 'clear affirmative action'. The GDPR...

Smart Buildings and the ‘problem’ of data

September 24, 2019November 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

John Browne’s recent book “Make, Think, Imagine” asserts that “human knowledge is cumulative: as more people contribute to a network, more useful insights emerge”. The digital revolution is disrupting all aspects of our lives with both its scope and impact likely to expand exponentially. It demands new approaches, and new intellectual coalitions. This is the first of three articles produced collaboratively by Dr Sophie Taysom, an independent consultant at Keyah Consulting, and Dr Sue Chadwick, a Strategic Planning Advisor at Pinsent Masons LLP, on smart buildings and the 'problem' of data. Smart buildings are now possible thanks to digital innovations including the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and advanced data analytics that can provide real time feedback. It’s clear that there is much on offer, from making buildings more efficient and responsive, to improving our working environments. At the same time, there are real concerns about what this means for us as individuals, what it means for our privacy and how...

Integrating health and housing

September 20, 2019August 16, 2020 by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed

Does housing affect health? We know in the UK that there is a significant shortfall in housing. The Housing Federation puts this figure as an annual shortfall of 340k homes a year just to meet requirements. In addition to this, many people live in unhealthy or unsuitable homes, or live in precarious situations. These factors can have a significant and detrimental impact on health outcomes. And there are some people who are particularly vulnerable – babies and children, people with disabilities, and older people. This is not just about housing, but also public health. How do we integrate health and housing? This was the question to kick off a webinar discussion in July facilitated by Ethan Williams, researcher at the King’s Fund. Panelists included: Rachel Toms - Programme Manager, Healthy Places, Public Health England Rachael Byrne - Executive Director, New Models of Care, Home Group Vic Rayner - Executive Director, National Care Forum This report has been updated following the publication of Creating...