Future Homes The University of Salford

The Future Homes Innovation Accelerator project will bring together innovators, researchers and some of the UK’s leading housebuilders to develop novel solutions for reducing energy use (and associated greenhouse gas emissions) in both new build and existing homes.

The challenge

The domestic and residential sector accounts for over 20% of UK greenhouse gas emissions and is a key area to be addressed to meet both national and Greater Manchester’s Net Zero targets. The project will also examine the ‘embedded carbon’ associated with construction products and look to more sustainable solutions using low impact, recycled and waste products in construction.

The project

Future Homes brings together all elements of the construction supply chain to develop solutions to shape the new homes that will be delivered under the Future Homes Standard and equally to inform the delivery of retrofit to existing homes. In the longer term, the aspiration is that the project will be the foundation for an internationally recognised network for research collaboration between academia, industry and innovators supporting the journey to Net Zero, contributing to both regional and national economic growth.

Energy House Labs at the University of Salford is leading on understanding the energy performance of buildings. The University of Manchester is collaborating on subject areas of materials, indoor air quality and policy, through the Tyndall Centre, while the University of Salford will provide acoustics expertise. Industry partners include Barratt and Bellway, who are responsible for more than 15% of all the UK’s new build houses, Saint Gobain, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction products and RSK, a leading built environment consultancy. The digital aspect of the work is being led by Red and QBot, while engagement with innovative SMEs is being led by the Energy Innovation Agency.

The future

By 2025 the project will be shaping the new homes that will be delivered under the Future Homes Standard in the UK. It will inform the delivery of retrofit through open-source tools and advice and support innovative SMEs in getting successful products quickly to market, creating economic growth as well as using innovation to address the reduction in CO2 emissions. By 2028 it aspires to be a leading global resource where industry can find and collaborate with world leading facilities, academics and other partners to address global issues of domestic energy consumption, using evidence to drive decision-making and, ultimately, impact.

will bring together innovators, researchers and some of the UK’s leading housebuilders to develop novel solutions for reducing energy use (and associated GHG emissions) in both new build and existing homes. Over the next two years the project will also examine the ‘embedded carbon’ associated with construction products and look to more sustainable solutions using low impact, recycled and waste products in construction. The domestic and residential sector accounts for over 20% of UK GHG emissions and is a key area to be addressed to meet both national and Greater Manchester’s Net Zero targets.

The project brings together all elements of the construction supply chain to develop solutions to shape the new homes that will be delivered under the Future Homes Standard and equally to inform the delivery of retrofit to existing homes. In the longer term, the aspiration is that the project will be the foundation for an internationally recognised network for research collaboration between academia, industry and innovators supporting the journey to Net Zero, contributing to both regional and national economic growth.

Energy House Labs at the University of Salford is leading on understanding the energy performance of buildings. The University of Manchester is collaborating on subject areas of materials, indoor air quality and policy, through the Tyndall Centre, while the University of Salford will provide acoustics expertise. Industry partners include Barratt and Bellway, who are responsible for more than 15% of all the UK’s new build houses, Saint Gobain, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction products and RSK, a leading built environment consultancy. The digital aspect of the work is being led by Red and QBot, while engagement with innovative SMEs is being led by the Energy Innovation Agency.

By 2025 the project will be shaping the new homes that will be delivered under the Future Homes Standard in the UK. It will inform the delivery of retrofit through open-source tools and advice and support innovative SMEs in getting successful products quickly to market, creating economic growth as well as using innovation to address the reduction in CO2 emissions. By 2028 it aspires to be a leading global resource where industry can find and collaborate with world leading facilities, academics and other partners to address global issues of domestic energy consumption, using evidence to drive decision-making and, ultimately, impact.