New Homes Week 2025: Day 3 - The Future of New Build Home: A Chat with James Huckerby, Tilia's Central Technical Director

As we celebrate New Homes Week 2025, we bring you an exclusive interview with James Huckerby - Central Technical Director at Tilia Homes.

As we celebrate New Homes Week 2025, we bring you an exclusive interview with James Huckerby - Central Technical Director at Tilia Homes. With over two decades of experience in the housebuilding industry, James shares his thoughts on how new build homes have evolved and his exciting vision for the future of sustainable living.

A Journey Through Housebuilding

We kicked off our chat by asking James about his impressive career. "You know, I've been in this industry for quite a while now," James tells. "I started out as a trainee architectural technologist 20 years ago, but then I found my true calling in the housing industry. I've been with Tilia Homes for a decade now, working my way up from a Design and Build Co-ordinator to my current role as Central Technical Director."

How Homes Have Changed

When we asked James about the changes he's seen in houses over the past two decades, his answer surprised us. "You'd think there'd be massive changes, right? But actually, it's been more subtle than you might expect," he explains. "There have been continuing reductions in uValues, resulting in more insulation and efficient glazing, with bigger shifts in the technologies deployed. We have introduced waste water heat recovery systems, air source heat pumps, PV systems and batteries. These systems when combined with good detailing and air tightness make a huge difference in how energy-efficient our homes are."

The Future of Housebuilding

Our conversation then turned to the future, and James shared his vision. "There are three big areas that I think are going to shape the future of housebuilding," he says. "First, there's sustainability. We're really pushing for decarbonisation with aspirations to meet the UK LETI standard for zero carbon homes. Technology alone is not the answer for decarbonisation, careful design and specification of materials is crucial to remove embodied carbon."

James continues, "Then there's the growing demand for eco-friendly communities. People don't just want a house anymore - they want a home that's part of a green, vibrant community. They're thinking about the environment they're leaving for future generations."

"And finally, there's AI," James adds. "It's fascinating how it's creeping into our industry and how it is shaping the future. The integration into design software is leading towards designers being able to review more parameters in real time which I would hope can only lead to better quality designs. It's really revolutionizing how we approach sustainable construction."

Tilia Homes: At the Forefront of Change

While James couldn't share specifics about Tilia Homes' initiatives, his excitement about the company's commitment to sustainability was clear. "You know what I'm most excited about?" he states. "It's the idea of creating spaces not just for us humans, but for wildlife too. It's about building homes that exist in harmony with nature."

Dream Homes of the Future

We couldn't resist asking James about his personal vision for the perfect future home. His answer came quickly: "Oh, that's easy. I'm in love with the design of a HUF Haus," he says. "Crisp and clean architecture, it's this amazing smart home with incredible energy efficiency. The dream is to live off-grid with my family. It's the perfect blend of sustainability, technology, and modern design - exactly what I think the future of housing should be."

Challenges Ahead

Of course, no conversation about the future would be complete without discussing the challenges. James thoughtfully points out two main hurdles. "First, there's a real skills gap," he explains. "We're facing a shortage of people who really understand and can work with green technology. It's a challenge, but also an opportunity for education and training." He adds “There is also infrastructure limitations, for example the current electrical infrastructure is stretched and would not be able to handle if all new build developers implemented air source heat pumps in their homes to create gas-free developments without considerable reinforcement”. James continues “This highlights the need for us at Tilia to work closely with trade bodies, the government and other entities to drive forward the “Homes of the Future”