Energy House 2.0 shows pathway to home decarbonisation
The first year of a research project led by the University of Salford has shown that low-carbon homes can be delivered at scale in the UK.
Energy House 2.0 saw two prototype homes built inside a bespoke chamber that could test the structures in extremes of hot and cold, delivered by housebuilders Barratt Developments and Bellway, and construction solutions provider Saint-Gobain. The homes were put through rigorous fabric testing in the chamber, which can recreate environmental conditions with temperatures ranging from -20c to 40c, as well as simulated rain, wind, snow, and sun.
Both homes, which were constructed using different methods, had a small difference of up to 8 per cent between the anticipated performance when designed, when compared to the actual performance when tested in climate-controlled conditions. According to the Salford team, this makes the homes amongst the most efficient that have been tested in research conditions. It also demonstrates that the imminent Future Homes Standard can be delivered at scale by 2025, providing that the supply chain of key components can keep pace and skills training is readily available.
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