School students in Heywood learn about pioneering research at Energy House 2.0

A class of construction students at a school in Heywood have been given a lesson about an experimental eco-house built in nearby Salford.

Sam Ward, assistant site manager at Bellway Manchester, gave pupils at Newhouse Academy a one-hour presentation about the developer’s ‘Future Home’ – a three-bedroom test house built in a climate-controlled chamber at The University of Salford.

Sam oversaw the day-to-day construction of the detached property at The University of Salford’s research facility Energy House 2.0.

This forms part of a £16 million research project, led by the university and Energy House Labs, which is being part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The project aims to find new ways of powering, heating and insulating homes, making them more energy efficient and helping to meet new standards which require a significant reduction in carbon emissions for new-build homes from 2025.

The students were shown slides and a video of the eco house, which incorporates a variety of different green technologies that will be tested in the special chamber over the coming year.

Energy House 2.0 features two chambers each big enough to fit 24 double decker buses with room to spare. The facility can test the energy performances of buildings in a variety of categories in any climate and temperature ranging from -20°C to +40°C, as well recreating gale force winds, rain, snow, ice and solar radiation.

Bellway’s Future Home includes two air source heat pumps, one of which is the first in the UK to be mounted in the roof, smart heating controls, infrared panels on walls and ceilings, underfloor heating, a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system, wastewater heat recovery, double/triple glazing on windows, enhanced insulation and a photovoltaic inverter, which stores solar power for use when the household’s need is greatest.

Sam made the school presentation on behalf of Bellway and The Friends of Energy House 2.0 – a group set up by the research team to educate students in the Greater Manchester area about climate change and green energy.

Teacher Nicola Lane, second in technology department at Newhouse Academy, said: “It was a very exciting opportunity for our construction students to get a real insight into the Energy House 2.0 project which is helping to shape the future of sustainable housing. The students were delighted to meet Sam, who gave an interesting and engaging presentation and answered questions. 

“Sam’s presentation will prove invaluable for these students, and could not have come at a better time, as they embark on the ‘new technologies’ unit of their study, which focuses on innovation within the construction industry.”

 

 

Sam said: “Community outreach is a vital part of our work at Bellway as we strive to foster meaningful relationships within the local communities where we build. We are delivering new homes at Hopwood Meadows in Heywood so we thought it would be a good idea to ask the local school if they would like us to give them a presentation about the pioneering research being carried at Energy House 2.0.

“It was a pleasure to be able to visit Newhouse Academy and to share information about the research and about The Future Home, which is a build that I oversaw. The youngsters were all students who are considering a career in the construction industry and were enthusiastic and fully engaged with the subject.

“This is an exciting project which aims to lead the housebuilding industry’s move towards low-carbon and zero-carbon ready homes. Energy House 2.0 will provide important research which will help us to understand which technologies are efficient, cost-effective and user-friendly to allow us to choose the best options for both consumers and the planet.

“The house-building industry will be changing rapidly over the coming years, so it is vitally important that the next generation of talent to enter the industry understands what the homes of the future might look like.”