Pioneering Sustainable
Building Solutions
The Centre for Future Homes is a research group consisting of Birmingham City University academics, focused on helping organisations to measure and improve their building outputs.
We help organisations explore robust, scalable and sustainable solutions to general housing issues using the latest academic research. Through using evaluating models and design tools, the Centre provides sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Our Mission
Key Highlights - Centre for Future Homes
High-Impact Research
The Centre for Future Homes is focused on the delivery of high-impact research for net zero homes and carbon reduction from existing homes.
Working with Government
Heating and powering buildings accounts for 30% of the UK’s total energy usage, so our homes will play a vital role in the UK’s efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions.
In 2025, compliance with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will become mandatory. Its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built under the current Building Regulations.
The FHS aims to decarbonise new homes by focusing on improving heating, hot water systems, and reducing heat waste.
This will be achieved in part by replacing current technologies with low-carbon alternatives. For example, very high-quality building fabric (structural materials, insulation etc.), high performance double or triple glazing standards and low-carbon heating through heat pumps will replace their older, less efficient counterparts. It is anticipated that this, combined with additional regulation targeting existing homes, will contribute to reducing the UK’s carbon emissions and achieving its net zero target by 2050.
To meet the specifications set out in the 2025 FHS, the Government updated Parts F and L of the current Building Regulations at the end of 2021. These specifications must be adhered to when constructing, extending, or renovating UK homes. Part F introduces new standards for ventilation, while Part L sets out minimum energy efficiency performance targets for buildings, airtightness requirements, and improved minimum insulation standards. These more rigorous requirements have applied to UK homes since June 2022.
Shaping Future Policy
The Centre for Future Homes team aims to support policymakers in Building Regulations and planning by helping them make evidence-based decisions, while understanding the complex financial and socio-economic factors that influence the home building and renovation market, including future skills requirements.
Academic & Industry Experience
The Centre for Future Homes combines academic researchers, professors, industry professionals, and government representatives to create a pool of experts who can help deliver the future of home building standards.
Student Experience
The Centre for Future Homes explores highly relevant current issues in real time and in close collaboration with industry. As a result, students are involved in experiential learning, enhancing their overall learning experience.
Industry & Supply Chains
Supply Chain resilience, the development of UK Building Product manufacture, recruitment of new talent and the upskilling of our existing workforce is critical to the delivery of out climate change objectives and the inclusive growth of the UK PlC economy
Our Team
Research Excellence Framework (REF) UoA 13 Lead, BCU
Dr Monica Mateo-Garcia
Visiting Professor, BCU
Mike Leonard
Director of Recruitment for Built Environment, BCU
Dr Emmanuel Aboagye-Nimo
Professor Emeritus, BCU
David Boyd
Visiting Lecturer, BCU
Dr Callistus Gero
Research Assistant, BCU
Dr Kui Weng
Lecturer, BCU
