48 ENERGY HOUSE 2.0 SPOTLIGHT
friendliness are key issues to consider when discussing how our construction methods and techniques might change as we move towards net zero. These new homes have to be properties that families can both afford to buy and also run without in-depth technological know-how. With many green innovations, we don’t yet know how they will function for real families in real homes, or what their running costs will be. This is particularly important when energy costs have risen so significantly, as homeowners are being hit hard in the pockets. And this is where we hope The Future Home will provide invaluable insights.
The research taking place at Energy House 2.0 will explore how we can keep our homes cool in summer and warm in winter while minimising the impact on both the environment and the cost of living. We hope the results will help us to deliver more energy-efficient homes and to advise people on how to make best use of new technology to control energy usage and running costs.
A low-carbon home is not necessarily a home with lower running costs, and we are testing to find what refer to as the ‘Goldilocks zone’. This is the point where energy efficiency and cost efficiency meet in a place which is the best balance for the consumer and for the planet.
THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE HOW WE BUILD HOMES – AND HOW WE LIVE IN THEM, AND THAT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING!
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LEADING THE WAY ON CARBON ellway has invested significant resources and expertise in its Energy House 2.0 project, working with key partners and suppliers in delivering the project. Carbon reduction is one of the main priorities of our ‘Better with Bellway’ sustainability strategy. The Energy House 2.0 research dovetails perfectly with this ethos and we are delighted to be working alongside other key players in the housebuilding industry to help lead the way towards carbon-reduction and creating energy-efficient homes of the future. e first got involved in the proect as part of our wider Carbon Reduction activity when we approached The University of Salford to help monitor one of our key carbon projects in the North East. As part of these discussions, we were invited to participate in the Energy House 2.0 project, which of course we were delighted to accept. We started construction work on The Future Home – a two-storey three- bedroom detached house – in July 2022 and finished building the property in December 2022. The research facility was launched in anuary , with the first round of testing getting under way in February 2023.
he key benefits of this proect include the unique opportunity to work with the
research team at the University of Salford, and respected industry partners including Barratt Developments and Saint-Gobain, at a world-leading test facility.
ACCELERATING INSIGHTS INTO GREEN TECHNOLOGIES Time is of the essence when it comes to addressing the problem of climate change and the specially built chamber at Energy House 2.0 will enable the team to carry out testing on different components of the house in varying weather conditions, which would take years to replicate in the natural world.
Our Future Home is testing innovations in building materials, the effects of double and triple glazing, storing solar energy, recovering heat from wastewater, and how to make most efficient use of air source heat pumps. Mechanical ventilation is being trialled to control airflow and regulate temperatures. Each of these elements are being monitored in both regular and extreme climates. The chamber can replicate any climate and temperature ranging from -20°C and +40°C, as well as recreating gale force winds, rain, snow, ice and solar radiation. Usually, it would take months or years to collect the data needed to evaluate the performance of a new design or technology, but because researchers can precisely control the environment to within half a degree, they can gather that data in a few weeks. That means that accurate results can be achieved quickly and accelerates the innovation process.
REAL-WORLD SETTING, REAL-WORLD BENEFITS
hat is also particularly beneficial for us at Bellway is that we are gaining results relating to new technologies in a house that we have built, so we are receiving data about products we are familiar with and are not relying on information from a third party.
There is no question that this is pioneering research and we have to praise our construction team at Bellway Manchester for rising to the challenge to build a fully working three-bedroom house inside the huge, enclosed chamber. Throughout the process, the team proved themselves to be both flexible and innovative as they fully embraced the project. We were keen to harness internal expertise and our technical team brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to this project. Other than working as usual with external suppliers and subcontractors, we have attempted to use this experience to not only showcase the diverse talents of our employees but to provide them with the opportunity to test
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