Old house project may give renovation tips

A project to find out how to make existing UK homes greener may provide some useful knowledge on how people wanting to do the same to their houses can go about it.

Energy firm E.ON has had a house constructed on land owned by Nottingham University that has been built using 1930s materials and methods, in order to test what effects the addition of green technology and energy efficiency in such a dwelling will have.

The idea is to ensure that, while zero-carbon new building is being pursued by the government, the improvement to the energy efficiency of new buildings is not neglected.

Project manager for creative homes at the university Dr Mark Gillott said: "It's vitally important that we identify and research technologies that are aimed at reducing the energy consumption associated with existing homes."

Students will live in the house to ensure the energy performance is being tested in authentic circumstances.

Earlier this week the newly elected chairman of the Construction Products Association, Adrian Barden, said the government should be concentrating more on making existing homes greener, the Green Building Press reported.


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