This project uniquely offers detailed energy and environmental data, along with feedback from occupants about their experiences with heat pump and ventilation systems. The monitored data, analysed through daily minute-by-minute graphs and monthly summaries, revealed how the equipment functioned, how the houses responded, and how the occupants’ lifestyles influenced operations.

The monitoring demonstrated that heat pumps could maintain very comfortable conditions even during extremely cold periods. Interviews with occupants highlighted the project’s success, particularly noting the enhanced comfort compared to their previous poor housing conditions.

Increases in total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and fine particles (PM 2.5) were linked to cooking activities, which in some homes lasted up to six hours a day. These levels dropped once cooking ceased, indicating effective ventilation. The daily heating patterns showed high energy use in most houses, with lifestyles often impacting environmental conditions. However, houses equipped with heat pumps and photovoltaic (PV) systems met their design performance targets, achieving an estimated 70% reduction in carbon emissions compared to similar houses with gas boilers. This reduction is expected to increase as the electricity grid becomes more decarbonised.

Key lessons learned suggest that occupant lifestyle is crucial for meeting Future Homes Standard targets. More efforts are needed to help occupants understand heat pumps, controls, ventilation, and building performance. An explicit strategy for heat pump operation should be developed, with annual refreshers provided by maintenance personnel to improve performance. Similarly, a comprehensive ventilation strategy should be created and explained, identifying potential issues when floors, doors, and windows are modified. The supply chain needed to meet the Future Homes Standard must be expanded and trained, as the complexity of these changes requires experience. This supply chain should include maintenance as an essential service. Comprehensive monitoring of equipment and house environments is necessary to better understand operations and provide feedback to occupants on how their lifestyles affect house performance.

To read the full report, click here
click here.

This research addresses the growing concern of overheating in new build homes in the UK, driven by climate change and low energy requirements. Overheating can cause significant discomfort and health risks for occupants. The study explores scalable solutions to mitigate overheating without relying on air conditioning, aiming to provide practical and effective measures that can be applied on a large scale.

The research involved a multi-method approach, including interviews with industry stakeholders and home occupants, real-time sensor monitoring, dynamic simulation modelling, and validation workshops. Key findings highlight the importance of addressing unawareness in the decision-making process, the effectiveness of externally applied fabric solutions, and the need to consider occupant perceptions, cost implications, supply chain resilience, and developmental procedures.

To read the full document, please click here.

Recognised Construction Details ™ (RCD) provides energy assessors, builders, architects and other designers with a suite of independently assessed thermal junction details that have been certified for use in demonstrating compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. The portal also features Fire Junction Details for buildings under 11 meters in height

The 2021 update to Part L and the move towards the governments Future Homes Standard has increased the focus on heat loss through thermal bridges in new homes.

It is no longer possible to comply with Part L without the use of calculated Ψ values, so this free to use resource is invaluable to energy assessors and small and medium sized home builders.

Part L defines two methods to assess thermal bridges; individually modelled values or using a database of independently assessed details such as Recognised Construction Details ™ (RCD).

www.recognisedconstructiondetails.co.uk

You can find ARCOM conference articles in the ARCOM Abstracts Database. This database provides open-access to the proceedings and papers from their annual conferences. Here is the link to access the database: click here.

You can find a wide range of research papers from Birmingham City University's repository. This online archive provides free access to various research outputs, including journal articles, theses, conference papers, and more. To explore these papers, click here.

Retrofit is the common name the process of upgrading and improving existing buildings and structures to make them more energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and technologically advanced. This involves the installation of modern technologies, such as improved insulation, energy-efficient heating and ventilation, and renewable energy sources. All of this is done to reduce energy consumption, lower carbon emissions, and enhance the overall performance and comfort of the building. 

As the UK strives to meet its ambitious climate goals, retrofitting is a key solution. By upgrading existing structures with modern energy-saving technologies, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases and our overall environmental footprint.

The UK has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and improving our buildings plays a pivotal role in reaching this target. 

 The Centre for Future Homes researchers believes that it is critical to fully engage with and put the home occupier at the heart of the journey. This should involve a holistic and proportionate approach which seeks to modernise and improve the comfort, lived experience and running costs rather than simply addressing the climate change related interventions. Spending more on home renovation than the real market value is not proportionate, and therefore we will often be in the realms of mitigation  rather than complete solutions.

The Centre for Future Homes in partnership with Local Authorities, Registered Providers and other Universities is working to address a range of barriers and opportunities to the roll out at scale of the right measures to improve 26 million homes and other buildings, which is critical if the UK is to meet its legally binding climate change targets. 

 This is a complex challenge and research areas will include Finance, Independent Advice, Occupier and trade behaviours, site surveys, skills appropriate interventions, measurement of outcomes and identifying ways to drive positive outcomes.

Supported by BCU and Barratt Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Redrow this research investigates the scalability of overheating mitigation measures in new build developments in the UK. Monitoring of different house types and overheating analysis were conducted. Simulation modelling showed that externally applied fabric solutions were more effective at reducing overheating risk against internal solutions. As well as effectiveness, four areas are shown to require addressing to evaluate solutions as scalable: home occupant perceptions, cost implications, supply chain resilience, and developmental procedures.

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The Gedling Green development by Keepmoat, provided an opportunity to build 33 homes to the Future Homes Standard for private occupation. The team from Birmingham City University’s Centre for Future Homes oversaw and supported the entire project, including design, construction, commissioning, handover and the lived experience.

The development process involved working closely with the Keepmoat management team at a national and regional level as well as key subcontractors, manufacturers and specialist advisors.

The primary intention was to derive data and consumer insights and to analyse this intelligence to provide policymakers with the knowledge they need to make evidence-based decisions and avoid unintended consequences. This process, well in advance of the changes to regulation, allowed Keepmoat to better understand the risk and opportunities associated with the transition involved in building to the new Future Homes Standard and inform.

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This update of an interim study published in July 2023 provides evidence from a unique 12-home demonstration project called Eco Drive in Handsworth. This project was uniquely timed to offer real-time evidence for the UK government’s consultation on the 2025 Future Homes Standard.

The foresight of Midland Heart Housing Association, supported by Birmingham City University, to adapt a social housing development to exceed the proposed Future Homes Standard was inspired by the objective of providing actionable insights for policymakers, homebuilders and the construction supply chain. The decision to trial different solutions across the 12- home development has allowed researchers to evaluate a range of scenarios including the design, construction, commissioning, handover, occupation and maintenance phases.