The Transforming Housing and Homes for Future Generations is a collaboration between the GW4 Universities and involves residents, industry, practitioners, local authorities, community-led organisations, and researchers working together to co-design the transformation of existing inter war homes. A large focus for the project is the use of bio-based and non-extractive materials, in particular insulation materials to reduce energy demand.

The project works with two communities in Knowle West, Bristol and Townhill, Swansea to develop and demonstrate possible solutions. The design led process includes co-design, digital modelling, prototyping, testing, construction and delivery of alternative options, with the solutions seeking to improve spatial quality, well-being, affordability and ease of construction.

This webinar presents some of our research work to date, which is focussed on understanding the condition of the existing cavity walls at the homes in Knowle West and the implications this has on the existing homes and retrofit solutions. We will explain how the initial monitoring of the homes led us to undertake deeper investigative work both on and off site and how this work has influenced our proposed retrofit details.  Our investigative work has included laboratory sample testing, hygrothermal modelling and testing in the large environmental chamber at the University of Bath.

Transforming Housing and Homes for Future Generations: Investigating how cavity wall construction in 1930's housing can influence retrofit design