Acoustics and Net Zero Homes: Challenges and Opportunities

Acoustics and Net Zero Homes: Challenges and Opportunities   

Workshop for Industry, Acoustics Research Centre, University of Salford 

10:00-15.30, Tuesday 05 March 2024 

With £3.54m of support from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, the Future Homes project aims to create a globally competitive centre for research and innovation in net zero housing in Greater Manchester. The project will also support innovators in bringing novel low or zero technologies to market. The Innovate UK funding will be used to support industry/academia collaboration to accelerate the development of innovative products and will provide full funding for suitable projects.  The approach is holistic; although energy efficiency in the home is at the core, indoor air quality and acoustics are also key issues to be considered.  

The Acoustics Research Centre at the University of Salford would like to understand your particular challenges around noise and acoustics with a view to developing collaborative projects.  Issues that have been identified to date include nuisance noise from heat pumps and sound transmission through lightweight structures, that are becoming a common feature in Modern Methods of Construction. 

We would like to invite you to a workshop on 5th March 2024 to discuss these issues.  There will also be an opportunity to: 

• Understand the funding available to support collaboration. 
• See first-hand our globally unique research and testing facilities at the Acoustics Research Centre and the £16m Energy House 2.0 laboratory. 
• Learn about our cutting-edge research work in acoustics and low carbon buildings 

 The workshop will include the following: 

• An introduction to the project and the types of testing currently under way 
• Demonstrations of state-of-the-art acoustic testing facilities and methods 
• A tour of the world-class Salford Acoustic Laboratories  
• A chance to meet researchers and find out more about the acoustic challenges of Modern Methods of Construction 
• The opportunity to discuss potential collaborations with the project 
• An optional tour of the Energy House 2 climatic chambers 

Led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, the pilot Innovation Accelerator programme is investing £100m in 26 transformative R&D projects to accelerate the growth of three high-potential innovation clusters – Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester and West Midlands. Supporting the Government’s levelling-up agenda, this is a new model of R&D decision making that empowers local leaders to harness innovation in support of regional economic growth and help attract private R&D investment and develop future technologies. 

Agenda 

Expressions of interest

To express your interest in attending, please click here. The opportunity to express interest will close on the 28th of February and the selected applicants will be contacted at the latest by Monday 4th of March.