Category: Research findings

Welsh Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub

The findings of a report that explored the potential of establishing a Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub for Wales have been published.

This report is the conclusion of a three-month scoping study which brought together the Good Homes Alliance (GHA), Woodknowledge Wales and the Building Performance Network (BPN) to prepare a proposal for what the Hub’s core purpose could be, how it could add value to the housing sector in Wales, and how it could further the Welsh Government’s objectives.

The report includes a foreword from Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change for the Welsh Government:

“This Zero Carbon Housing Performance Hub scoping study shows that there is strong support from the housing sector for a government endorsed body where industry, academia and NGOs can collaborate to share research, debate the issues and help shape future policy. The Hub could therefore become a resource for all similar initiatives to ensure a cohesive and coherent direction.

The Hub will also play its part in enabling a zero-carbon economic recovery that is purposefully aligned with the supply chain in Wales. Importantly for Wales, the Hub will enable the social housing sector to go zero early, bringing the benefits of low energy bills and healthy home environments to those that need them most. In short, the Hub will help facilitate and accelerate zero carbon high performance solutions that can be rolled-out at scale across all the housing sectors in Wales. We were delighted to be able to fund this scoping study and will give consideration to how we can support its implementation.”

Authors: Good Homes Alliance, Woodknowledge Wales and Building Performance Network.

Report prepared for ClwydAlyn with funding from the Welsh Government Collaborative Research and Innovation Support Programme (CRISP).

Study completed in March 2021 and conducted by Nicola O’Connor (Mandarin Research) and Ross Holleron (Building Performance Network) for the Good Homes Alliance in collaboration with Woodknowledge Wales and the Sustainable Development Foundation.

Publication date: August 2021

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Tags Building Performance, Net Zero

Research findings

EPCs as efficiency targets

Many organisations and local authorities are searching for a way to measure their progress towards a net zero built environment. In the domestic sector, every home has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which gives an Energy Efficiency Rating between 1 and 100. It might therefore seem like a good idea to use the EPC rating as a metric to drive lower emissions in both existing and new housing.

However, the EPC mechanism and its supporting calculation isn’t designed to do this and, furthermore, has failed to keep pace with a rapidly decarbonising grid. As of 2020, electricity emissions are 30% less than those associated with gas. But the EPC calculation still assumes that electricity produces more than twice the level of emissions. EPCs are also designed to be compliance tools which means that the supporting calculation has some necessary assumptions and limitations. The result is that using the EPC rating alone to try and drive energy efficiency is unlikely to have any effect.

To illustrate why, and to suggest an alternative, the Passivhaus Trust has produced a short paper which sets out how EPCs work, their limitations and what alternatives might produce better results.

Author: Passivhaus Trust

Publication date: April 2020

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Tags Energy Efficiency, Grid Decarbonisation, Performance Gap

Report Research findings

Refreshing the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth

URBED were asked to advise on how greater cohesion or social inclusion could be achieved in future developments, by considering the current principles in the light of published research and international best practice, and this took the form of a separate report on Creating Cohesive Communities.

They also were asked to make recommendations on assessing performance, and have considered the options for evaluating the quality of what has been built. This report summarises the conclusions and the evidence is set out in five appendices.

Author: URBED

Publication date: January 2019

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Tags Community Design, Quality

Case Study Report Research findings

GHA Monitoring Programme

Phase 1

This report provides an overview of the findings, observations and recommendations resulting from Phase 1 of the Good Homes Alliance (GHA) monitoring programme. Phase 1 is based on post-construction testing of a series of new-build residential projects, across a range of construction types.

This project was funded by DCLG, EST and NHBC Foundation.

DOWNLOAD TECHNICAL REPORT

Phase 2

This document focuses on the key results of the Phase 2 Post-Occupation Evaluation and compares the findings of the in-use performance data from the houses in terms of energy and water consumption and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), the performance of installed building services, and occupant behaviour/ perceptions.

This project was funded by DCLG, EST and NHBC Foundation.

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Case studies

The following projects were used as case studies for the research:

Preventing Overheating

High temperatures in homes are known to cause real problems for occupants. These range from discomfort and mild health effects, to serious health effects. Elderly people and other vulnerable groups are most at risk from these effects, and with an aging population, greater urbanisation and climate change predicted, the risk of overheating needs to be addressed.

Author: Good Homes Alliance

Publication date: February 2014

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Tags Health and Wellbeing, Overheating

Case Study Report Research findings

LowCarb4Real

Drawing on detailed academic studies at Stamford Brook along with GHA member experience, the GHA disseminated and implement this learning by providing education and technical support to GHA Developer members and others.

The LowCarb4Real project, funded through the UrbanBuzz programme (project No. 388), lies in the UrbanBuzz target area “Energy efficiency and sustainable housing: harnessing academic understanding”. As is recognised in the Urban Buzz programme, the contribution made to sustainable communities by reducing carbon emissions from housing is considerable.

Case studies

Information about how to achieve good performance on sustainable housing projects was then collected and a number of detailed case studies including:

Lincoln Grove, Bladon

Lincoln Grove is a development of 9 x 2 and 3 bed homes near Woodstock, 9 miles from Oxford, constructed in 2007. The homes were awarded EcoHomes excellent, scoring 77 credits, the same as BedZED. The homes have been subsequently re-assessed under the Code for Sustainable Homes and achieved level 3.

Download Summary

Download Thermal Bridging Report

Download Airtightness Report

One Brighton

One Brighton at Blocks E & F, New England Quarter, is a mixed-use scheme sitting within a mixed-use neighbourhood developed in a joint venture by Crest Nicholson and BioRegional Quintain.

Download Summary

Download Thermal Bridging Report

Download Airtightness Report

Old Apple Store, Stawell

The Old Apple Store is a development of 5 new family homes, with one existing unit retained and completely refurbished. The site nestles within the site of the old apple store in the picturesque village of Stawell in Somerset.

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Phase 1

Phase 2

Case studies

Old Apple Store, Stawell

Derwenthorpe

One Brighton

Case studies

Lincoln Grove, Bladon

One Brighton

Old Apple Store, Stawell

Final report