Innovation funding granted for Net Zero project at the University of Salford

An ambitious project to develop Net Zero technologies for the home has been given a share of a £100m funding pot to become part of the city-region’s Innovation Accelerator programme.

Led by the University of Salford, the Future Homes Project is a partnership between academia and industry which will use the unique Energy House 2.0 facility at Salford to develop new technologies to reduce carbon emissions from the home and cut energy bills at the same time.

Working with various partners, the project will develop net zero solutions for the housing sector, conducting research under controlled conditions using real homes built within Energy House 2.0. Energy House 2.0 allows new technology for energy efficiency to be tested under controlled repeatable conditions, an approach not possible anywhere else globally.

Professor Will Swan, director of Energy House Labs, said: “The Innovation Accelerator is an exciting opportunity for the partners, who bring additional high-quality research and innovation expertise to help industry address net zero and energy efficiency in homes.

“This grant allows us to build on the work of Energy House 2.0 with our industry partners, as well as creating opportunities for SME innovators to link up with our research and industry networks to get successful innovation to market. In the face of the cost of living crisis and climate change, this project has the opportunity to impact people’s lives.”

Professor Karl Dayson, pro vice-chancellor research and enterprise at the University of Salford, added: “I’m proud of our work at the University of Salford on sustainability and helping society achieve net-zero carbon usage and I’m delighted that our pioneering research at Salford will be a catalyst for the Future Homes Project.

“As an anchor institution within the region, we are committed to supporting local and regional growth in Salford and Greater Manchester. The funding announcement lays the foundations for a vibrant and innovation led economy in the area. We can now begin to deliver the vision of Innovation Greater Manchester and bring greater prosperity to our pioneering city-region.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, said: “We are really pleased that the University has been awarded funding to develop new technologies through Energy House 2.0 as part of Greater Manchester’s bid through the Innovation Accelerator pilot programme.

“This project further demonstrates the importance of innovation and R&D to Salford, complementing our innovation ecosystem in the city, whilst also leveraging the benefits of innovation to deliver local economic growth, jobs, opportunities and importantly warmer and more cost effective homes as we continue to grapple with the impacts of the energy crisis.

“Innovation is important to Salford and Greater Manchester, increasingly becoming an essential and critical driver in the growth of our city, supporting our vision for a fairer, greener, healthier city with practical and person-centric applications. The university’s role within the city’s innovation and R&D ecosystem is absolutely essential to our vision.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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