Government Investment funding for Green Structures

Green Structures receives Government Investment funding to establish pilot Retrofits to pave the way for Low Carbon Housing. The design, building and retrofitting company, Green Structures have won three Technology Strategy Board contracts as part of UK-wide Retrofit for the Future scheme. This initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, and will see social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies in an effort to kick-start future sustainable upgrading of homes.

Each retrofit prototype is allocated a budget of £142,000, and will be retrofitted with different holistic strategies to deliver deep cuts in carbon emissions. The level of funding is specifically designed to stimulate research and development of innovative, proof of concept demonstrations that may offer cost effective solutions for wider role out across the UK. Each demonstrator house will therefore be carefully evaluated by the Energy Saving Trust for at least 2 years following the completion of works and the viability of mass implementation across the UK social housing stock will be assessed.

The Science Minister in Department for Business Innovation & Skills, describing the scheme said: “Innovative businesses have a crucial role to play in the low-carbon economy. This £17 million investment by Government will give companies the chance to grab a share of the significant potential retrofit market.”

Housing Minister, John Healey, has stated that “New homes are 40 per cent more energy efficient now compared to 2002, but we must and can do more. Today’s announcement means that many of the homes owned by councils and housing associations – almost a quarter of the UK’s housing stock - will be made-over using innovative ideas from the competition. This will make them warmer, greener and cheaper to run. ”

Key elements of the retrofits include:

 

• Substantial internal insulation upgrades using natural and highly efficient materials.
• Innovative Passive Heat Recovery to achieve optimum comfort level eliminating the need for mechanical ventilation units and the associated energy use associated with mechanical ventilation units. 
• Air tightness strategies such as blocking of existing vents and chimneys, insulation of floors and ceilings will be insulated, and coating the walls with modified plaster will ensure air tightness and eliminate droughts and heat loss.
• Installation of intelligent Passive Solar Heating system which will be able to learn the resident’s living patterns and will ensure that hot water and heating programmes will match the occupants’ lifestyles.
• First of its kind triple glazed sash windows suitable for conservation areas will be installed to reduce heat loss without compromising the traditional building facade.
  
  
  

At the end of the Retrofit for the Future scheme it is intended that the principles established by these prototypes will be applied to all the social housing throughout the country. The data will then be compiled into a database which will be made available to researchers, social landlords and energy companies as to ensure that the most cost effective technologies are employed in future retrofits. The Chief Operating Officer of Energy Saving Trust stressed that “The Retrofit for the Future project offers huge potential and will help us to make much more informed decisions. We are monitoring the trials and will collate essential data that will enable us to create an open database for industries – a real asset for UK plc”. The Energy Saving Trust is a leading independent organisation set up to provide energy saving advice to the public. As part from this scheme it will collect data from each of the retrofitted houses after works have been completed, including internal and external temperature, humidity and CO2 levels.

   Green Structures is an award winning architectural and project management practice specialising in environmental design, environmental refurbishment and sustainable construction. Following years of research and development as well as bold experimentation on site, Green Structures have developed a range of specific construction methods enabling them to achieve the highest Sustainability and Energy Efficiency targets. Their design philosophy is to create spaces that are functional, look great and are sustainable by maximising the visual, spatial and environmental performance of the building. For more information and to see a selection of their previous work please visit their website at www.greenstructures.co.uk