eHome2

: Saint-Gobain and the University of Salford

Leading companies within housebuilding, Barratt Developments, Saint-Gobain and Bellway Homes, built two concept homes within the world’s largest climate-controlled chamber at the University of Salford. Known as Energy House 2.0, the specially-built climate chamber recreates temperatures ranging from -20˚C to +40˚C, as well as simulating wind, rain, snow and solar radiation to replicate the climate in 95% of the earth’s environments.

Energy House 2.0 is a £16 million project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Its launch comes at a time when both the cost of living and climate change are impacting everyone’s lives. Energy House 2.0 will research and test, in tightly controlled conditions, new ways of powering, heating and insulating homes, making them more energy and water efficient, helping to meet new standards, which require a significant reduction in carbon emissions for new build homes from 2025.