£16m first-ever climate-controlled research facility opens at Salford University

A world’s-first £16m research facility helping propel homes towards net zero has opened at Salford University

Energy House 2.0 (eHome2) opened yesterday (Thursday 12 January), and features two chambers each big enough to fit 24 double decker buses, capable of reaching temperatures from -20 degrees, to +40 degrees. It can also recreate gale force winds, rain, snow, ice and solar gain.

The facility, located at the University’s Fredrick Road campus, creates an environment where innovators can can undertake controlled research in ways that would usually take months or years to collect. This can speed up innovations considerably.

Bellway’s house, named The Future Home, will test the UK’s first roof-mounted air source heat pump, along with underfloor, infrared and ambient heating, mechanical ventilation, double versus triple glazing, enhanced insulation, and a prototype shower which recovers heat from waste-water.

The House is also helping to meet new standards which require a significant reduction in carbon emissions for new build homes from 2025.

It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Saint-Gobain has partnered with Barratt Developments on eHome2 which looks at how to deliver zero carbon housing at scale using construction solutions. It is piloting next generation heating and ventilation technologies as well as smart technology to enable occupants to change the temperature and turn on the shower at the click of a button.

Professor Will Swan, Director of Energy House Labs at the University of Salford said: “The growing challenges of climate change and the cost-of-living crisis mean we need to consider how we build and operate our homes. Energy House 2.0 mission is to work with industry and policy makers to provide evidence for what works in meeting these challenges.

“Energy efficient, high performing homes can change people’s lives. The importance of this agenda is one of the main reasons behind the University of Salford’s major investment in Energy House 2.0, which is a critical piece of research infrastructure that can help us find solutions to these problems.

“Our cutting-edge research is already having real world impact and as the cost of gas and electricity keeps going up and up this work is even more important to create a sustainable and economically viable future for this country and the world.”