A RESEARCH PROJECT TO HELP HOUSEBUILDERS MEET THE CHALLENGE OF DELIVERING LOW COST, LOW CARBON HOUSING

Building for 2050, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), highlights the need to construct housing which is low carbon through its design rather than through reliance on technology.
 
The project, which is being delivered by AECOM, examines the drivers, attitudes, barriers and challenges relating to low cost, low carbon housing. It considers both the pull and push factors relating to delivery of housing fit for the future. Increasing the numbers of such homes being built will contribute to the ambitious targets within the Clean Growth Strategy and reduce energy use and bills for residents, while delivering attractive and comfortable homes.
 
The AECOM-led team captures the experiences of those directly involved with four low carbon housing developments - reviewing the designs and observing construction activities; assessing the performance of sample dwellings; and determining the performance of dwellings in use.

There is also a significant social research element to the project. The team have identified the views of funders, developers, and design teams - those actively involved in low carbon housing and those currently not.  Views from contractors and site-based staff building low carbon homes are also being collected. 
 
A sample of residents’ attitudes and expectations have been identified prior to them moving into the selected developments, followed by feedback once they have moved in and again once they have spent some months in their new homes. 
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To provide context, views are also sought from wider stakeholders – both professionals and consumers. 
 
Observations from the design and construction stages and analysis of the performance, together with the opinions provided, will inform the steps required to accelerate the uptake of low cost, low carbon homes. 
 
The research recommendations will be published in 2022 and will help shape future policy.

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Film 1  - Project introduction

Film note - due to coronavirus and site completions the research project has been extended a further year

Film 2 - The Research Team