news from the BRE Group
published: 22/9/2011
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BRE and British Gas partner on SmartHomes Project
BRE is set to play a pivotal role in the British Gas SmartHomes Project which aims to reduce the energy requirements of domestic customers through the implementation of smart technologies and sustainable refurbishment solutions.
The UK’s largest energy provider has signed an agreement with BRE to use a unit within its Victorian Terrace demonstration project as a knowledge hub and refurbishment showcase for the scheme. BRE’s Integer House will also be used as a research facility for analysing occupier behaviour patterns with regards to energy consumption and how users interact with control systems and smart metering. This work will tie in with other ongoing national field trial projects being undertaken by British Gas and partners.British Gas plans to continue improving its service by equipping customers with smart technologies that help them understand their energy consumption and to consume less.
BRE will be working closely with British Gas to provide an environment for trialling and assessing systems being proposed for use in the field trials and ultimately in customers’ homes. This research will facilitate the installation and use of control systems and refurbishment techniques as well as providing valuable user feedback.
The Victorian Terrace knowledge hub will act as the focal point for the project. A dedicated ‘operations room’ will be constructed on the ground floor and refurbished to a high level of thermal efficiency by British Gas’ supply chain. It will showcase the products and techniques in British Gas’ current product portfolio including internal and external insulation solutions, smart metering, provision of electric vehicle charging points and solar PV. There will also be a data display for visitors showing live energy projects running onsite and throughout the country.
The Integer House will provide a test-bed, where the hardware and the control systems can be fitted, assessed, trialled and demonstrated. Data and knowledge gathered from this research will be connected via wireless telemetry to the Victorian Terrace knowledge hub which will enable visitors to gain an insight into the project outputs and associated field trials without the need to leave the site.
BRE plans to work with the National Refurbishment Centre (NRC) and its partners to provide single occupancy candidates for the Integer House over a period of two years, starting in July 2011. Candidates will provide live-in data and occupier feedback on the building and controls performance. The field trials will enable knowledge and lessons learned from the Integer House to be applied on a much larger scale to existing housing stock, providing an ever-increasing data pool to inform British Gas’ decision making when considering the most effective means to help customers save energy.
Dr Peter Bonfield, Chief Executive of BRE said: “This flagship project marks the start of an exciting relationship with British Gas and promises to be a most interesting and fruitful partnership. Research has a key role to play in driving innovation and improving sustainability across all sectors and this project will contribute to the crucial evidence base that underpins successful delivery.”
Gearoid Lane, Managing Director of British Gas New Markets, said: We are hugely excited about this partnership with the BRE which will help us understand how to apply new technology into British homes making them more efficient and cheaper to run. Over 90% of the homes we will occupy in 2020 and over 70% of those in 2050 have already been built. That’s why learning how these technologies fit into the homes of today is so important.”
The Victorian Terrace knowledge hub will be launched at INSITE11, BRE’s leading retrofit conference and exhibition, on 4/5 October 2011.
For more information, contact Linda McKeown, email mckeownl@bre.co.uk, tel 01923 664569
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