Energy company E.ON and the University of Nottingham have announced plans to go back to the future by building a replica 1930s semi-detached house to research the challenges and costs involved in improving the energy performance of the UK's ageing housing stock.

The project will involve building a house which is typical of many of the ageing and energy inefficient domestic properties in the UK. The house will then be used to assess how to make best use of natural resources such as the sun, wind and rain, as well as for trialling the effectiveness of new carbon energy reducing technologies and materials.


Dave Clarke, Head of Research and Development at E.ON, said: "Homes are big contributors to the causes of climate change, as they currently account for almost a third of the carbon dioxide emitted in the UK. The average house emits enough carbon to fill six hot air balloons full of CO2 in a year.

"The fact of the matter is that, even with the Government's target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016, we'll have to retro-fit low carbon measures to existing homes in order to significantly reduce our carbon emissions."

The 2016 house will use advanced design principles, sustainable materials and modular construction techniques to help reduce the need for heating and lighting.

(CD/JM)