The objectives of the E.ON 2016 low carbon house are to develop a unique research facility that will provide a practical assessment of the opportunities, implications and costs involved in upgrading an existing domestic property to minimise carbon emissions.

Research work will develop and assess cost effective measures for retro-fitting to existing houses including changes to the building fabric, heating and energy use including:

• Super insulation
• Advanced glazing  
• Phase change material

• Building automation technology

• Maximise the use of natural resources of sun, wind and rain
  
  
  • The requirement for heating and lighting will be minimised by using low energy passive design principles to maximise the use of solar energy and daylight
  • Generate heat and power using renewable energy.
  • Rain water harvesting
    

• Support sustainable lifestyles
  
  
  • Multi purpose, flexible living space with potential for home working
  • Designed to minimize use of energy day to day

• A timber framed extension will be constructed around the existing house. This will reduce heat loss from the existing structure, maximise the potential for solar gain and provide additional living spaces.
  
  
  • The roofs of the extension will be orientated to maximise the potential of solar and PV panels
  • The extension will use a modularised design that will allow it to be optimised to suit the orientation of any site.
  • Material will be sustainable

During the project, students will live in the house and monitoring equipment will be installed to measure the effectiveness of each of the upgrades.

E.ON UK’s 2016 house is part of The University of Nottingham’s Creative Energy Homes initiative, which will see a total of six sustainable homes built on the campus in the near future. All of the houses will be inhabited for long periods and monitored thoroughly to trial every aspect of sustainable living.