Articles

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.

Heat pump manufacturer, Mitsubishi Electric, is calling on the construction industry to come together to address the UK’s need to quickly transition to low carbon heating – as it launches what it believes is the widest range of commercial and residential heat pumps on the market.

Achieving the Government’s ambitious target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 will require a tenfold increase in the number of installations over the next five years. This presents a significant opportunity for businesses throughout the supply chain to help customers in the transition to low-carbon heating.

For many home owners and tenants, the increase in energy bills is causing real concern, with many facing the tough choice of heating their home or being able to afford to eat. And whilst we begin to look towards the spring and the upturn in weather the problem isn’t going away.

Every project is always a combination of competing demands for budget and funding and the trade off against performance. A balance between what can be afforded today, and what will be required in the future.

The increases seen in energy prices last year have made improving the energy efficiency of homes an urgent social priority. It’s critical importance as part of Government climate change objectives is long established.

Homes make up around 14% of all of the UK’s emissions. With a commitment to cut total UK emissions by 80% relative to 1990 levels by 2050 under the Climate Change Act (2008) reducing household carbon emissions assumes critical importance.

The housing shortage has its roots in the 1980s. It’s hard to believe that in 2023 there is still a chronic shortage of social housing. More people than ever before are battling to find a safe and secure place to live. Nonetheless, STILL we do not build enough social housing. Over a million households are on the waiting list for social housing. According to Shelter, 29,000 social homes were sold or demolished last year, whilst only 7,000 new ones were erected. Housing Association Magazine Editor Joe Bradbury investigates:

Howard Trotter, Business Manager of leading Birmingham-based window and door manufacturer Shelforce, discusses setting the standard when it comes to product and service is the key for housing associations and Local Authorities when specifying windows and doors.

Don’t let drinking water harm your tenants

Awareness of the potential health problems caused by lead in the water supply, particularly in infants and children is growing.  Houses built before 1970 would have been constructed with lead water supply pipes and if still in place can be causing developmental harm to young occupants.

Although the use of lead in plumbing has been banned in the UK for more than 50 years, there are still many properties where a risk of lead contamination of water is a risk.  In some areas of the UK up to a third of these older properties are still receiving their water through these original lead pipes.