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4. Radically improving built assets through reduced CO2 emissions

Summary of the impact

Alliance researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to refurbish existing buildings, which make up over 90% of our stock of over 26m buildings, to achieve a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 80% (domestic properties) and 50% (non-domestic). The research has underpinned a shift of emphasis by UK government from new to existing buildings and the formulation of incentives to encourage building owners to make energy-saving improvements. In partnership with not-for-profit, public and private stakeholders, it has been used by national and local agencies to highlight the potential of improving the energy performance of traditionally constructed, timber-framed and residential mobile homes and incorporated into practical guidance by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers. It is also the technical foundation for an educational software package developed with 100 school children and teachers and praised as exemplary by Education Scotland.

Submitting Institutions

University of Edinburgh,Heriot-Watt University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Built Environment and Design: Architecture, Building, Other Built Environment and Design

The Development of a Viable Low-Energy Alternative to Air Conditioning

Summary of the impact

Research at the University of Nottingham into the use of phase- change materials as a means for heating and cooling buildings has resulted in the development of COOL-PHASE®, a product which is sold by Monodraught ltd. The system was launched in 2008 and has been installed in 136 buildings in the UK. COOL-PHASE® underpins the long-term growth strategy for the company and Monodraught has invested in employing 3 new staff and £250k in capital expenditure to make the unit suitable for mass production.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Interdisciplinary Engineering

Creative Energy Homes: Low-Energy and Zero-Carbon Housing

Summary of the impact

A development of six Creative Energy Homes (CEH) on the University of Nottingham campus provides a living test-site for leading firms, including E.ON, David Wilson Homes, BASF, Tarmac, Roger Bullivant and Igloo Blueprint to work with the University of Nottingham to investigate the integration of energy efficient technologies into houses. As a result of this work, Lovell homes has won a number of sustainable housing contracts, Roger Bullivant have developed and installed 30 SystemFirst™ foundation systems and Igloo Blueprint have built £7M worth of new homes. The research findings have informed the UK Government's "Green Deal" strategy, the Nottingham Community Climate Change Strategy and received widespread acclaim through a number of public engagement activities reaching out to over 5 million people.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Built Environment and Design: Architecture, Building

Improved air quality, energy demand reduction and new controllers for advanced naturally ventilated buildings

Summary of the impact

Research at Loughborough University during the period 2008-2013 in the areas of control, commissioning and design of advanced naturally-ventilated buildings has led to:

  • Improvements in ventilation performance in an award-winning building in the USA;
  • Confirmation of the performance of a globally applicable low-energy building design strategy; and
  • Increased confidence in US design teams to produce naturally ventilated buildings.

A subsequent KTP project with SE Controls has led to:

  • A new product range for a UK controls company;
  • Increased turnover;
  • Expanded capacity to exploit research for innovation; and
  • Stimulated growth of its new product development team.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Built Environment and Design: Architecture, Building, Other Built Environment and Design

2. Achieving Greener Building Services in Practice for Europe

Summary of the impact

The work described here has impacted on European policy and standards concerning energy efficiency in Building Services.

The impact arises from two Welsh School of Architecture led and European Commission funded projects, HARMONAC (focussed on inspection of air-conditioning systems) and iSERV (focussed on automatic system monitoring and feedback). These pan-European projects demonstrate achieved energy savings of up to 33% of total building electricity use in individual buildings, and potential savings up to €60Bn. These projects demonstrably impacted the recast European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the revision of EU Standards (European Committee for Standardisation (CEN)).

Submitting Institution

Cardiff University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Statistics
Built Environment and Design: Architecture, Building

Short

Summary of the impact

Research conducted by Professor Short in the use of natural ventilation and passive cooling in non-domestic buildings is altering policies and plans in the refurbishment of existing healthcare buildings and in new-build for acute and primary care, both within and outside the UK. Moreover, the massive demolition and replacement of healthcare building stock, presumed to be required to simultaneously adapt to the increased ambient temperatures due to climate change and mitigate carbon emissions through improved energy efficiency, has been shown to be unnecessary.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Interdisciplinary Engineering
Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Built Environment and Design: Building

Building Monitoring and Preservation: Impacting Homebuilders and Households

Summary of the impact

This study presents the impact of research by Plymouth's Environmental Building Group (EBG) and Centre for Earthen Architecture (CEA) on industry and regulatory bodies. These interconnected groups research the manufacture, construction, preservation and performance (thermal, hygral and acoustic) of new and old buildings of diverse construction, including earth, straw-bale and hemp-lime. EBG/CEA research has impacted the energy consumption of 690+ homeowners (21st Century Living; DECC/Eden) and contributed to national standards for construction and conservation (BRE/DEBA/English Heritage). Industry partnerships/projects include: Zero Carbon House, Kevin McCabe Ltd; Carfrae Sustainable Design; Hukseflux; Cornish Lime Company.

Submitting Institution

Plymouth University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Civil Engineering
Built Environment and Design: Building, Other Built Environment and Design

4. Environmental assessment of domestic laundering

Summary of the impact

The impacts of this study by the Mackintosh Environmental Architecture Research Unit (MEARU) with two other research units arise from auditing and analysing domestic laundering (100 homes surveyed), and positing solutions to mitigating `fuel poverty' (energy cost >10% disposable income) and improving health-linked aspects of indoor air quality — identifying direct and indirect energy usage attributable to laundering, and the detrimental environmental consequences of added humidity. Impacts since completion in 2012 relate to public engagement — meetings with a key regulatory body, dissemination events and a successful publicity campaign at regional, national and international level, marking the launch of a Design Guide.

Submitting Institution

Glasgow School of Art

Unit of Assessment

Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Environmental Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering
Built Environment and Design: Building

Use of natural lighting and ventilation to deliver energy savings and commercial benefits

Summary of the impact

University of Nottingham research into the use of natural lighting and ventilation in building design has resulted in the development, marketing and application of two new sister products (SunCatcher and Sola-Vent) by a leading supplier of low-carbon, low-energy solutions. Since 2008, 745 installations of Sola-Vent units have been carried out by Monodraught Ltd. Homes and commercial premises, both in the UK and overseas, have benefitted from the low energy demands of the system. As well as delivering economic benefits for the company, this work has had a positive impact on building owners and occupiers and the wider environment.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Environmental Engineering, Materials Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering

1. Energy and Environmental Modelling at Building and Urban Scale

Summary of the impact

The Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) is recognised internationally for its research in developing advanced computational numerical models for simulating the energy and environmental performance of the built environment. These models have been used by leading design practices in the design of major buildings and urban developments. This impact case study presents three models from this research activity that have been widely taken up by industry worldwide, namely, the `building energy' model HTB2, the urban scale `energy and environment prediction' framework EEP and the `building environment' model ECOTECT.

  • HTB2 has been used by leading international practices in the design of over 100 exemplary low energy buildings, including Dubai's award-winning Lighthouse tower, and EMPA, the first zero energy office building in Switzerland.
  • EEP modelling framework for urban simulation has been used to assess the energy performance of existing large estates, for example, for use in housing retrofit programmes, and, to plan low-carbon developments, such as the Gateway City in Ras al Khaimer. It is now accessible through Google SketchUp, a common design tool used by architects.
  • Ecotect underwent significant development at the WSA before its sale to Autodesk in 2008, and by 2010 had over 2000 licenced users globally.

Application of the models, often linked (e.g. HTB2 is the numerical engine for EEP and is accessible within the ECOTECT framework), has resulted in extensive environmental benefits, through reductions in global CO2 emissions. Additionally, there has been a marked impact on practitioners and professional practices, through new guidelines for major international developments (e.g. Pearl Island Qatar and the Chongqing Ba'nan Low Carbon Development).

Submitting Institution

Cardiff University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Built Environment and Design: Building
Economics: Applied Economics

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