Working with communities to transform existing social housing
Beyond Net Zero resilient council homes are being retrofitted and remodelled through a world-leading design innovation ecosystem, co-led by the University of Bath.
Making homes fit for future generations
The UK’s commitment to a comprehensive social housing agenda emerged from the 1919 Housing and Town Planning Act, with ‘homes for heroes’ build between the two wars to house the industrial backbone of the UK. These 1920-1940s low-rise houses account for approximately 1.1 million of the homes still in use today.
However, a lack of investment and a shift in the social housing agenda has since resulted in a lack of modernisation. The majority of these homes are still in use but unfit for modern living, poorly insulated and energy inefficient. Transforming our existing housing stock to achieve carbon emission targets, whilst providing homes fit for future generations is critical.
Photo by Florinel ZONE on Unsplash
Photo by Florinel ZONE on Unsplash
"Retrofitting existing houses is an infrastructure priority for the UK Government."
The University of Bath, with Future Observatory, is bringing together diverse stakeholders to work together to address the common goal of finding housing retrofitting solutions in a new project to help address the challenge of providing Beyond Net Zero (BNZ) homes that are fit for future generations of social housing tenants.
Researchers from all GW4 universities, including Bath, Bristol, Exeter, and Cardiff, with Industry, practitioners, social housing landlords, and community groups are using bio-based and non-extractive materials, together with renewable energy supply and storage, to retrofit social housing that is fit for future generations.
Pete Walker, Professor of Innovative Construction Materials in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath , was involved in developing the project proposal and leading the AHRC-funded project until recently retiring. He says:
“The housing sector is responsible for around 20% of the UK’s total carbon emissions and with 80% of the homes that will be occupied in 2050 already built, retrofitting the country’s existing housing stock to improve energy efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions, is critical to achieving the Government net-zero targets”.
Professor Pete Walker delivers a presentation on the project
Professor Pete Walker delivers a presentation on the project
Dr Rob Grover, also from the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, has taken over from Professor Walker as Principal Investigator. He says:
“A 2019 Climate Change Committee (CCC) report highlights that retrofitting existing houses is an infrastructure priority for the UK Government. Changes in housing fabric – such as increased levels of insulation and air tightness - are essential to ensure that new low carbon heating and cooling solutions work effectively. This fabric-first approach is also recognised by The Future Homes Standard in new build and retrofitting.”
Professor Pete Walker
Professor Pete Walker
Dr Rob Grover
Dr Rob Grover
How the team will retrofit social housing
The Transforming Homes consortium, now led by University of Cardiff, will take a grassroots approach, working with communities based in Bristol and Swansea to implement BNZ liveable houses, empowering them to develop solutions for their housing.
They will investigate opportunities for enhancing the quality of dwellings, working directly with communities for householder participation to create liveable, more resilient, and novel design outcomes.
This innovative co-design process involves using bio-based and non-extractive materials for fabric changes, to improve quality and performance. Novel external wall insulation solutions will improve building performance and reduce associated carbon emissions.
A further action is the development of renewable energy supply and storage solutions for social housing communities, combined with employing circularity and zero waste.
Key stakeholders including householders, community groups, local authorities, social housing landlords, and the construction industry will be engaged to help embed social and cultural dimensions into the design research.
A total of nine project partners are involved including We Can Make/Knowle West Media Centre, Swansea Council, Sevenoaks Modular construction, Stirling Prize winning architectural practice Mikhail Riches architects, Alliance of Sustainable Building Products, and Wood Knowledge Wales.
The impact of transforming existing social housing
The suite of co-designed remodelled 1920-1940 low-rise homes will provide a framework for the use of bio-based and non-extractive materials using construction methods to retrofit and remodel houses, with up to six 1920-1940 demonstrator retrofit council-built houses installed in Bristol and Swansea.
The collaborative work of the team aligns with the strategic priority of the project funder, the Government’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), to address societal challenges and support the UK’s transition towards a net-zero economy. It also supports the strategic theme of the overarching funding body, URKI, for Building a Green Future, with the delivery of interdisciplinary research for meaningful impact.
“The work we are doing as part of the Transforming Homes consortium will ensure best practice in transforming existing housing by working with, and for, communities."
The University of Bath’s innovative work to retrofit social housing, in partnership with the Future Observatory, will result in wider educational and community engagement. This will help to promote the benefits to a more general audience and reduce the design skills gap in retrofitting.
The Transforming Homes consortium will also consider the wider societal acceptance of these novel solutions. Working to deliver a green transformation, it is anticipated that a legacy of positive behaviour change will be fostered, supporting local and regional supply chains.
Get in touch
Join us in creating a healthier, more sustainable, more connected future for us all.
We work in partnership with businesses and industry to enable innovation and growth. Learn about our consultancy services, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, technologies available for licensing and more on Enterprise and entrepreneurship.
Our donors and supporters help us achieve real world impact that changes lives. You can support our research here.
Hear more about our research
Research@Bath highlights our latest research and innovation news and events and highlights opportunities for engaging with us.
Built with Shorthand