Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development

What Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development does

The Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development (ARAD) is a UK-based, independent, non-profit trade association founded in 2020 and formally launched in May 2021 by four leading airspace developers — Apex Airspace, Click Above, Fruition Properties, and Upspace. ARAD represents organizations involved in rooftop and airspace development (the addition of new storeys to existing buildings to create additional residential dwellings), serving a horizontal membership base of airspace developers, solicitors and legal consultants, lenders and financial partners, architects, structural engineers, quantity surveyors, building control specialists, and increasingly property owners and leaseholders who benefit from airspace projects. It is the only UK trade body specifically dedicated to the airspace development sub-sector.\n\nARAD's core 'products' are non-technological: an annual membership program providing newsletters, briefing notes and member-area access; recurring networking events (panel discussions, breakfast meetings, social gatherings) on fire safety, design and planning, finance, legal and MMC topics; member-only technical reports produced by its technical committee (first releases in November 2023 on scheme approaches and competency standards); a published Code of Conduct covering transparency, health and safety, fire safety, sustainability and professional ethics; and structured government advocacy at national and local levels. ARAD does not develop or deploy proprietary technology.\n\nARAD's revenue model is subscription/recurring, based on annual membership fees collected from member organizations; pricing is not publicly disclosed and prospective members must contact the association directly via [email protected] or the website form. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct outreach, networking events (with a one-event taster policy for non-members), and earned media coverage in property industry publications. The association is headquartered in London, focuses on the UK market with particular emphasis on London (where Knight Frank/Fruition research identifies 41,000 potential central London rooftop dwellings and the Mayor's SHMA estimates a 66,000-per-year housing shortfall), and has no subsidiaries, parent company or external investors.

Name

Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development

Legal name

Association of Rooftop & Airspace Development

Website

https://arad.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK non-profit trade association (founded 2020) representing airspace and rooftop development, providing membership services, networking events, technical reports, a Code of Conduct, and policy advocacy to developers, solicitors, lenders, architects, and consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: ARAD generates revenue through annual membership fees from organizations involved in the airspace and rooftop development sector, including developers, solicitors, lenders, and consultants. Members receive regular updates, networking opportunities, and access to industry events and technical reports.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ARAD is a UK non-profit trade association for the airspace and rooftop development sector. It provides paid membership, regular industry updates and newsletters, networking events (panel discussions, breakfast meetings, social gatherings), technical reports on scheme approaches and competency standards, a Code of Conduct, and direct lobbying of government policymakers to shape national planning and building-safety policy.

Product overview

ARAD is a trade association for the UK airspace and rooftop development sector, established in 2020 as a non-profit organization. It offers a unified membership program that provides networking events (panel discussions, breakfast meetings, social gatherings), technical reports covering scheme approaches and competency standards, a Code of Conduct framework for professional standards, and industry advocacy services to influence government policy. The organization brings together developers, architects, solicitors, lenders, and consultants involved in vertical extensions above existing buildings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ARAD Membership A paid membership program for organizations involved in airspace and rooftop development, including developers, solicitors, lenders, and consultants. Members receive regular industry updates via newsletters and briefing notes, access to networking events, technical reports, and influence at government policy level.
• Networking Events Regular in-person and virtual events including panel discussions, breakfast meetings, and social gatherings that allow members to discuss implementation experiences, policy changes, emerging trends, and share knowledge on topics such as fire safety, design & planning, finance & legal aspects, and MMC construction.
• Technical Reports Technical committee-produced reports covering airspace scheme approaches and competency standards, released to members to share knowledge, learnings, and best practices in the sector.
• Code of Conduct A set of requirements for developers, architects, and consultants involved in rooftop and airspace development to ensure high standards and best practice, covering transparency, health and safety, fire safety, sustainability, and professional ethics.
• Industry Advocacy Lobbying services to ensure member experiences are heard by government policy makers, helping to shape and influence national policy and guidance on airspace development, including submissions on building control consultation requirements and the Building Safety Bill.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41,000 potential new dwellings in central London alone through rooftop development
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fruition PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2021Founding member of ARAD, Fruition Properties is an innovative airspace developer with extensive delivery experience across London. They specialize in adding additional storeys to existing buildings using modern methods of construction and have been delivering innovative airspace properties since 2004.
• UpspacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2021Founding member of ARAD, Upspace specializes in residential airspace development transforming under-utilized spaces into habitable dwellings. They retain shares in newly constructed dwellings for the private rental market post-construction.
• Apex AirspacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2021Founding member of ARAD, Apex Airspace is a leading airspace developer in the UK market with experience in residential rooftop development.
• Click AbovecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2021Founding member of ARAD, Click Above is directed by Laith Mubarak and specializes in airspace development projects.
• LHA LondonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2021LHA London is a charitable accommodation provider for young adults in London. They partnered with Apex Airspace (ARAD member) to evaluate converting unused airspace above their 14 properties into affordable co-living accommodation, potentially serving more students and young workers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Property Federation: The BPF is the principal UK trade body representing the property industry, including developers and investors. It is comparable to ARAD as another UK real estate membership organization advocating for its members with government, though it covers the full property spectrum rather than specializing in airspace development.
• Chartered Institute of Building: CIOB is a chartered body for construction management professionals, with members including those working on airspace projects. It is comparable to ARAD as a UK membership organization with a Code of Conduct and competency standards relevant to construction quality, but with a much broader construction remit.
• Royal Town Planning Institute: The RTPI is the UK's professional body for planners, with a charter and code of conduct covering planning practice. It is comparable to ARAD as a chartered membership body setting professional standards relevant to airspace development (planning, fire, MMC), but focused on town planning rather than developer-side airspace advocacy.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: RICS is a global professional body for surveyors and real estate professionals, including valuation and development. It is comparable to ARAD as a large UK-headquartered membership organization for property professionals with a code of conduct and standards-setting role, but at much greater scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• Federation of Master Builders: The FMB is the UK's largest trade association for SME construction firms. It is comparable to ARAD as a UK trade body representing builder-members with a code of conduct and government advocacy function, but serving traditional SME builders rather than airspace developers.
• UK Green Building Council: UKGBC is a membership organization advancing sustainable building practice, including MMC and retrofitting. It is comparable to ARAD as a UK-based membership body shaping sustainability standards relevant to airspace projects, but with a broader sustainability remit rather than airspace specialization.
• Construction Industry Council: The CIC is the representative forum for UK professional bodies, construction industry institutions, and building consultancies. It is comparable to ARAD as a membership organization with a representative/coordination role for construction professionals, though it operates at a higher industry-overview level.

Direct peers

• Home Builders Federation: The HBF is the UK trade association representing home builders and lobbying government on housing policy. It is the most directly comparable peer to ARAD as a builder-focused trade body influencing planning and building regulation, though it represents traditional ground-up developers rather than airspace specialists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Rooftop and Airspace Development