United Infrastructure and University of Salford partner to advance UK retrofit innovation

We are pleased to announce a partnership with the University of Salford to deliver a full-scale 1930s retrofit property within Energy House 2.0, the University’s world-leading research facility. The collaboration marks the first project under the new Centre for Retrofit, which aims to develop and test scalable solutions for improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s existing housing stock.

With around 80% of the homes that will exist in 2050 already standing, retrofitting older properties is one of the UK’s biggest challenges on the road to Net Zero. The project will recreate a typical 1930s house inside Energy House 2.0 to rigorously test and validate retrofit measures, from insulation and low-carbon heating to smart energy systems.

Energy House 2.0 features two large-scale climatic chambers capable of reproducing 95% of global weather conditions from –23°C to +51°C, with sun, wind, rain and snow. This unique facility enables researchers to evaluate how technologies perform under controlled, repeatable conditions and to provide real-world data for policymakers, industry and homeowners.

By expanding the facility’s scope to include traditional homes, the retrofit project represents a major step forward in understanding how to adapt Britain’s ageing housing stock. It will help develop verified, practical and affordable solutions that reduce emissions and improve comfort for millions.

As lead delivery partner, United Infrastructure will oversee the construction and integration of retrofit technologies. The Company’s extensive expertise in sustainable development will be key to ensuring the build meets both technical and environmental performance targets.

Keith Rimmer, Strategic Development Director at United Infrastructure, commented:

“This project is a vital step in tackling the retrofit challenge. By replicating a 1930s home within Energy House 2.0, we can generate robust data to inform scalable solutions for millions of similar homes across the UK.”

Professor William Swan, Director of Energy House Labs at the University of Salford, said:

“The UK Government will be investing more than £13 billion in retrofit over the coming years. We must get this right if we are to address issues such as net zero and fuel poverty. We feel the development of a Centre for Retrofit at Salford builds on our track record of giving real data to householders, industry, and policymakers as to what works.

“Energy House 2.0 was designed to enable exactly this kind of collaboration. Working with United Infrastructure allows us to bring real-world construction expertise into a controlled research environment, helping us accelerate the development of retrofit strategies that are both practical and impactful.”

The facility, funded by UKRI and industry partners, is designed to accelerate innovation in sustainable housing. Construction of the retrofit property is scheduled to begin in the coming months, with testing and analysis to follow.