WMS underfloor heating is proud to announce its involvement in delivering national housebuilder Bellway’s latest carbon reduction research project, The Future Home @ The University of Salford, which aims to address domestic energy efficiency challenges by putting low-carbon technologies to the test.
The developer’s experimental eco home has been constructed within one of two environmental chambers inside Energy House 2.0, this collaborative project between Bellway Homes and other partners, including The University of Salford, Barratt Developments and Saint-Gobain.
Energy House 2.0 is a unique £16 million research facility, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is playing a pivotal role in accelerating the progress towards low carbon and net zero housing design and builds.
WMS was selected by Bellway to design, supply and install underfloor heating systems throughout the ground floor of The Future Home @ The University of Salford, which has been paired with an air source heat pump. The project team is now monitoring how these low-carbon heating technologies work in combination with building fabric, efficient services and renewable energy generation in a wide range of weather conditions simulated inside the Energy House 2.0 chamber.
The developer and project partners will then use the research results to understand the best combination of technologies to reduce a domestic property’s carbon footprint and household energy bills.
WMS brings 20 years of experience in designing, supplying and installing low-temperature heating systems and more than a decade of working with ASHPs, to the project. Joanna Crown, Marketing Director at WMS and BEAMA Underfloor Heating Group Chair, explains why research such as this is crucial to ensure the Government targets are met and exceeded.
“We are incredibly proud to be involved with The Future Home @ The University of Salford. We will continue to work closely with the Bellway’s team as they discover how best to use technology to build highly efficient homes.
“In summer 2022, the industry faced the most significant adjustment the UK housing market had ever seen when the low water temperature update to the Building Regulations and Part L came into force. It’s never been more critical for new build heating systems to work in harmony, so we’ve made it our mission to fully understand the regulatory changes and the broader context of the rising household bills. We are fully committed to supporting the industry as we collectively progress towards a low-carbon future.
“This latest research collaboration is another opportunity to work holistically with our customers to seek the most efficient home heating solutions and technology pairings, ensuring the industry can reach its targets and households benefit from affordable, trusted warmth.”