14 Oct 2015
Loughborough researcher searching for ways to build a million new homes
A Loughborough University researcher hopes his study into house construction could revolutionise the way homes are built in the UK.
Research Engineer Ron Lang is in the final stages of a four-year project looking at alternative methods of housing construction.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, houses in Britain have typically been built with some form of masonry cavity wall construction. Unfortunately, the construction of cavity walls has become progressively more complex in recent years, especially as energy efficiency standards have become more stringent. This complexity not only increases construction time, but also the skills required to construct homes, and the number of potential defects.
Whilst many researchers continue to look for ways to move the production of houses away from site and into factories, Ron believes there is a solid case for developing traditional methods.
He said: “We have a historic love of masonry construction in the UK, using local materials and labour to deliver robust housing. Additionally, the flexibility of site-based construction is well-suited to our volatile housing market.”
To identify alternative construction methods, six full-scale test walls with varying specifications have been constructed at Loughborough University’s School of Civil and Building Engineering. The walls were constructed under site conditions to allow Ron and his team to assess the build process for each alternative solution.
Read the full press release for more information.