Transforming Homes

Dr Catherine Butler, Community Engagement Work Package Lead and Co-investigator of Transforming Homes, will be presenting at the upcoming HAMMAR (Housing Asset Management Maintenance and Repair) Southwest meeting, organised by the National Housing Maintenance Forum (NHMF). Dr Butler will explore how resident #engagement strategies are core in delivering the project’s demonstration homes in Bristol and Swansea, and how insights from the #community design workshops across the UK are being used to inform the development of our catalogue of #codesigned solutions to transform 1920s–1940s #homes. 📅 April 2, 2025 📌 Exeter Science Park, Exeter Learn More and Register: https://lnkd.in/g4G-yKXz UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Exeter University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea #UKRI #AHRC #DesignMuseum #FutureObservatory #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #research #housing #collaboration #residentengagement #communityengagement

Colleagues Emma Taylor and Melissa Mean took part in the inspiring final day of Futurebuild 2025 at the ExCel where they engaged with suppliers, explored innovative products, and represented Transforming Homes. Emma joined a panel on the #Materials Impact Stage, discussing natural materials for new builds and retrofit alongside Tom Robinson (ADAPTAVATE ), Peter Rollinson (Mike Wye Ltd) and Michiel Brouns (Brouns & Co), in a session chaired by Richard Broad Alliance for Sustainable Building Products. Emma found it interesting to hear about the different products and the #environmental benefits in #construction, and what each panellist considered their products unique selling point. The stage also provided the opportunity to talk about how #TransformingHomes is exploring the use of bio-based materials to transform existing council-built #homes from the 1920s-1940s period. A huge thank you to our ASBP partners for the opportunity to share our work. Melissa participated in a session on the National Retrofit Conference Stage, discussing community-led #retrofit in a panel chaired by Sara Edmonds National Retrofit Hub. She was joined by Jas Tippet, a resident from one of our demonstrator homes, as well as Naomi Rubbra (Footwork), Rob Morrison (Built Environment - Smarter Transformation), and Neil Turner (Ecological Building Systems). It was an insightful discussion on how #communities play a key role in tackling the retrofit challenge at scale. Some great connections were made, and we’re excited to continue these conversations as we move towards the conclusion of Phase 1 of this exciting project. UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Exeter University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea 📸 3-4 Dilek Arslan

Members of Transforming Homes attended the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) Healthy Buildings Conference & Expo 2025. It was an excellent opportunity to network with industry experts and learn about the inspiring work happening across the ASBP membership, from a broad spectrum of experts working with #biobased #materials and #sustainable practices. Keynote speaker John Palmer, Deputy Director of New Build Standards and Performance at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), shared insights into how policy is formed at MHCLG, including the ‘systems stories’ that drive cross-government collaboration and the various soft powers in the civil service that can drive change. He also gave a useful update on current government initiatives relating to #housing, including the Circular Economy Taskforce, the reform of EPC standards, and the forthcoming Future Homes Standard. Other highlights from the day included: • Professor Michael Davies’ research findings on the co-benefits of home energy efficiency improvements, looking particularly at the health impacts of overheating and air pollution both internally and externally.  • Kat Scott and Finbar Charleson’s presentation of findings from the Measuring Mass Timber project’s novel methodology aligning whole-life carbon assessments with quality-of-life frameworks. • A case study by Dayo Shittu-Balogun, Director of Projects at EURBAN Limited, on delivering the Cascade Building in Cardiff, the first mid-rise residential mass timber building built in the UK in recent years. The day concluded with an engaging discussion on regenerative design, and how it can help us shift mindsets and leverage change. A special thank you to our partners Simon Corbey and Richard Broad for inviting our team to the event and for taking this opportunity to showcase different initiatives in which ASBP is involved, including #TransformingHomes UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Exeter University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea #UKRI #AHRC #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #research #housing #collaboration

WoodBUILD 2025: Connect and create for transformation, impact and possibility 3-4 June | Llandudno https://lnkd.in/e8Wd-eGE This year’s much anticipated event will once again unite timber and construction stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and drive opportunities for meaningful change. Now open for registration, sponsorship and exhibition bookings. Catch your Early Bird discount before 30 April! #WoodBUILD2025 #TimberIndustry #ConstructionInnovation #SustainableBuilding #NetworkingEvent #Llandudno

The Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University #designresearch team have been leading a series of Spring #design #workshops in Cardiff and Bristol for the Transforming Homes project. These sessions bring together multidisciplinary partners from across the TH consortium to develop themes based on key insights from state-of-the-art review, findings from demonstration projects in Bristol and Swansea, interviews with diverse stakeholders, and lessons from community design charrettes held across the UK. Each workshop will help translate this collective knowledge into a catalogue of design solutions to transform 1920s–1940s council-built #homes into better places to live. The first four workshops focused on: ▪️ Space standards ▪️ Net zero operational carbon ▪️ Comfort and liveability ▪️ Bio-based and non-extractive materials Huge thanks to all our partners and collaborators who have been engaged in these discussions, sharing their expertise and insights. We look forward to seeing how the outcomes of these workshops will shape the ongoing development of the catalogue. UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Exeter University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea #UKRI #AHRC #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #research #housing #collaboration 📸 1 Joel Cady, 2-3 Veronica Albarran Carrillo

Research Associate Emma Taylor, will be speaking at Futurebuild 2025 about "Natural materials for new build and retrofit" . This is one of 3 sessions curated by our Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) partners Simon Corbey and Richard Broad. The session will explore the role of natural materials in both retrofits and new builds, with case studies, practical insights, and key lessons learned, including experiences from Transforming Homes. 📅 March 6, 2025 📌 Excel, London Learn More and Register: https://lnkd.in/dZe3dqz UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Exeter University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University #UKRI #AHRC #FutureObservatory #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #design #research #housing

Introducing the Transforming Homes Bluesky Account Follow us to stay updated on the multidisciplinary, collaborative work happening across our consortium as we continue to co-design homes for present and future generations. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/grstFfmy #TransformingHomes is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation. #FutureObservatory, the Design Museum’s national research programme for the green transition ecosystem, supports the project. University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Bristol University of Exeter GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches WeCanMake Knowle West Media Centre Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University

📰 February Issue of the Transforming Homes Newsletter Featured articles include: 🔹 Julian Ransom, Director of National Housing Maintenance Forum (NHMF) and iON Consultants, reflects on the relevance of Transforming Homes’ research on the social #housing sector. 🔹 Dr Eleni Toumpanaki shares insights on the recent Transforming Homes Consortium Meeting, highlighting progress across each Work Package, as well as the consortium’s dissemination efforts and plans for future research. Spotlight on: 🔹 Professor Pete Walker, Principal Investigator and Co-director of Transforming Homes, as he reflects on his career path and contributions to academia ahead of his nearing retirement. 🔹 Dr Christina Demski, Co-investigator and Work Package Lead at @University of Bath, who focuses on #collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders to develop, implement and scale #home transformation. Full newsletter 👇 Sign up to stay updated on the #TransformingHomes project.: https://lnkd.in/gxYwsWPA UK Research and Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) the Design Museum University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Bristol GW4 Alliance Mikhail Riches Knowle West Media Centre WeCanMake Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University #UKRI #AHRC #FutureObservatory #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #design #research

Our journey continues as Transforming Homes colleagues hosted our third #community #codesign charrette last Thursday. Our team has thoroughly enjoyed travelling across the UK, speaking with social housing residents living in 1920s-1940s local council-built homes. This time, Prof Jo Patterson, Dr Steve Coombs, Dr Lucy McFadzean, Emma Taylor, Joel Cady, and Laura Brain traveled to Manchester with our bespoke charrette cart—central to our co-design activities. We explored innovative bio-based materials, energy systems, spatial layouts, and street infrastructure with residents, who came up with creative ideas for their #homes and neighbourhoods. Our team is always inspired by the welcome, energy, and creativity shared during resident co-design workshops—and Manchester was no exception. In the coming weeks, our research team will analyse the information we've gathered to develop a catalogue of transferrable, scalable Net-Zero design solutions for home transformation. We're excited to process all the insights and ideas shared during this valuable series. University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Bristol University of Exeter GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches WeCanMake Knowle West Media Centre Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University #UKRI #AHRC #GTE #GreenTransition #DesignMuseum #FutureObservatory #TransformingHomes #netzero #climatechange #innovation #design #research #designresearch #housing #socialhousing #collaboration #communityengagement #creativity 📸: Francesca Jones

The Transforming Homes Team were delighted to be invited along to take part in the National Housing Maintenance Forum (NHMF) Conference last week. With an overarching theme of Clarity, the Conference focused on responding to evolving challenges facing the #housing sector, which ranged from Building Safety, Healthy Homes and Net Zero to Technology, Skills and Training. Prof Jo Patterson, Prof Pete Walker and Dr Louise King ran a workshop session with an engaged audience, presenting key aspects of the #TransformingHomes project and outlining initial findings. Valuable workshop discussions focused on the challenges of scaling up transformation and social equity within housing. Elsewhere, the Team attended an insightful plenary session examining developments two years after the Better Social Housing Review. Speakers Annie Owens, Policy Leader, National Housing Federation; Liane Davies Sheppard, Director of Property Services, LiveWest; and Dr Eve Blezard FHEA CIHCM, Policy Officer, Chartered Institute of Housing outlined key debates around #investment in #regeneration, new Decent Homes Standards and meaningfully engaging with residents, of particular interest to the TH Team. Jenny Danson, CEO of Healthy Homes Hub, led a fascinating session on #collaboration and #learning to achieve Healthy Homes, including a session led by Tessa Barraclough from Riverside, setting out future priorities to address #health and #wellbeing challenges within their housing stock. Overall, an energising day allowing the transforming homes Team to engage with key stakeholders and disseminate initial findings with key audiences.  University of Bath Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd University of Bristol University of Exeter GW4 Alliance Alliance for Sustainable Building Products Mikhail Riches WeCanMake Knowle West Media Centre Woodknowledge Wales Sevenoaks Modular Ltd City & County of Swansea Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University #UKRI #AHRC #GTE #GreenTransition #netzero #climatechange #innovation #designresearch #design #research #UKhousing #socialhousing