The industry is set to benefit from a new partnership between the National House-Building Council and Building Research Establishment, aimed at furthering research and development in the housebuilding industry. The NHBC Foundation, chaired by Nick Raynsford MP, the former housing minister, will invest more than half a million pounds in research in the first year. The new collaborative website, www.homein.org, will pool all available research in areas such as MMC and training, and promote information-sharing throughout the sector. Raynsford will be supported by an advisory board, including CABE chief executive Richard Simmons and Barratt chief executive David Pretty. Raynsford said: “This is a great opportunity and a real chance to make a big impact. We plan to look at the difficult issues that pose challenges to housebuilding, and improve the sharing of good information. This initiative is symptomatic of the changing face of the industry, which wants to innovate and produce practical results.”