Think Low Carbon Demonstrator Houses

The Think Low Carbon (TLC) Innovation Park is being developed by Barnsley College, working together with the Building Research Establishment (BRE). This will be a national centre of excellence for low carbon living and working, with the potential to attract international interest. The TLC Innovation Park includes a series of high profile developments offering opportunities for companies to partner with the College.

The Park’s first phase; the Think Low Carbon Centre (TLC) is opening to the public in November 2011.

The Demonstrator Houses

The College is calling for companies to collaborate with them on their unique demonstrator houses scheme. This exciting scheme is a UK first – constructing a spectrum of house types on a single site and then demonstrating a range of retrofit and new build solutions.

The site comprises seven houses constructed to historically accurate standards (Victorian, Edwardian, 1930s, 1950, 1970s, 1990s) and three new-build houses (to Code for Sustainable Home Levels 4,5 & 6 respectively). Companies are invited to partner with the College in:

• Developing low carbon retrofit solutions for the seven historical houses.
• Constructing a house to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4
• Constructing a house to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5
• Constructing a house to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 (possible Passivhause)

This is a fantastic opportunity for companies who want to be at the cutting edge of both new-build and retrofit reality ;- influencing over 140 years of UK house types. Benefits include:

• The opportunity to network and collaborate with other businesses –driving innovation.

• A test-bed and show-case facility for your company in the North of England.

• Independently verified monitoring -  providing robust, reliable data for products and materials in situ.

• The opportunity for you to align your company with the feed-in-tariff, renewable-heat-incentive and forth-coming Green Deal package.

• A fully documented case study on each house – for use in future marketing/promotion

This scheme will position the Park as a centre of best practice – creating a valuable place for companies, manufacturers, developers and research institutes to test the latest developments within the industry and demonstrate how whole-house solutions can be affordably retrofitted. 

To date, the college has attracted £2.75 million investment from the European Regional Development Fund through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme 2007-2013 for the TLC Centre.  The college is seeking additional ERDF funding for the Demonstrator project.

Expressions of Interest

Expressions of interest can be for any of the following:

• In-kind provision of products
• In-kind provision of services / installation works
• In kind provision of construction works

Expressions of interest must be logged by 18th November 2011 and successful companies will be asked to sign a contractual agreement with the College by 30th  November 2011.

Please note all packages and agreements with the College will be subject to the College securing ERDF funding.

To register your interest please download the form below or for further information contact:
Wendy Bussey, Think Low Carbon Centre Manager
t:01226 216 795.