Nottingham University experts have built an original 1930 semi-detached property to evaluate ways to improve the energy efficiency of the property.
Over 3 million semi detached propertied have been built in the UK during the 1930s, generating a boom in employment. Recently experts at the University of Nottingham together with energy company E.ON have built an original replica of such property to explore ways to reduce the carbon emission of the property.
The analysis includes reviewing the property’s central heating system and boiler set up, the property’s insulation and heating loss and other factors.
UK homes account for around 30% of the total CO2 emissions through burning of fossil fuels. This is mainly for the central heating boilers, lighting and appliances. Most of the emissions is from natural gas to power the boilers and for cooking. Central heating accounts for approximately 60% of the emissions, water heating by the boiler accounts for around 25% and cooking accounts for around 5%, while lights and appliances account for 13%.
The research is looking to improve the use of natural resources of the property by harvesting the sun, rain and wind which are free and sustainable resources.
Dr Mark Gillott, project manager said: “The Research House project is an important addition to our site. 21 million homes in England (86% of the current stock) will still be in use by 2050. It is therefore highly important that we identify and research technologies to reduce the energy consumption associated with existing homes”