ARAD was set up as a collaboration by leading airspace developers who came together to promote this new and innovative asset class.  Standing for the Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development (ARAD), the ability to build on top of existing buildings especially in densely populated areas, is an exciting and sustainable way to meet the increasing demand for urban housing whilst preserving the existing architecture. There have been various studies to show the potential rooftop development opportunities across cities in the UK – land is scarce in our cities so let’s build up instead!

The role of ARAD is to promote learning, innovation and the development of good practice. Whilst airspace and rooftop developments can help meet the demands for new homes across our cities, to deliver quality homes in a considerate manner requires a special kind of developer.

Rooftop development is not the same as ground-up developments. In order to effectively deliver homes or office space, there are many more pitfalls to overcome, including the legal aspects, fire safety considerations, resident engagement through to the actual build itself.

ARAD brings together organisations who want, and have the expertise, to work in airspace - to learn from each other and champion airspace so that rooftop development can flourish while maintaining high standards for the betterment of all stakeholders.