Energy House attracts Indian interest
Salford University's experimental terraced-style house built inside a lab is at the centre of a new partnership backed by the Indian government.
The partnership between the University of Salford and the India Green Building Council is endorsed by the Indian Government, and has been signed ahead of the university's second conference on energy conservation in construction, Retrofit 2012.
The agreement, which will include the development of a joint Masters programme in green and sustainable management, was signed at the India Green Building Congress, the country's flagship event on green building.
Professor Mike Kagioglou, head of the university's school of the built environment, said: "Our current relationship with the Indian Green Building Council puts us in a unique position to act as a hub for collaboration between Indian and British companies in green construction and energy. This new partnership means that in addition to establishing close research and development working in this hugely important field, we shall be able to benefit a wide range of manufacturers and service providers working in green construction and renewable energy."
The plans will gather significant momentum at Retrofit 2012, to be held in January, when international academics, businesses and policy-makers in energy, construction and the environment will gather to hear the findings of vital research into energy use and reduction undertaken in the university's unique Energy House.
Built in the same style as 4.5m UK homes and unveiled at last year's conference, it is a pre-1920s terraced house, furnished and fitted as a typical working home with fully functioning water, gas and electricity supplies – all built inside a three-storey, sealed testing chamber.
The conference will hear that already the Energy House is testing insulation and efficiency technologies from more than 50 businesses ranging from large multi-national leading brands through to regional micro business looking to enter the fast growing retrofit market. The team is also working with housing associations and local authorities to deliver cost-effective energy-saving combinations. These bring together construction techniques and ways of persuading and helping people to adopt more energy-efficient habits in their daily lives.
In total the Energy House has now attracted more than £3.5m of investment and has been nominated for several awards.
