EEDA - East of England Development Agency

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Low carbon buildings

EEDA’s Low Carbon Innovation team has worked with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) as a key strategic partner over a number of years.

The BRE Trust Companies of BRE and BRE Global are world leading research, consultancy, training, testing and certification organisations. BRE is based in Watford, working to deliver sustainability and innovation across the built environment.

EEDA and BRE have delivered in partnership:

BRE Enterprise Hub for the Built Environment - this three year project supports SMEs to better understand the challenges and opportunities within the built environment. This will help the regional supply chain deliver homes which meet new legislation and industry standards, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The Enterprise Hub is primarily focussed on:

• climate change mitigation - clean and green technologies
• healthcare - assisted living technologies
• smart and digital communications

BRE Innovation Park Visitor Centre - the Visitor Centre was funded by EEDA in partnership with BRE and the Modern Built Environment Knowledge Transfer Network (MBE KTN). The MBE KTN developed the Centre's product portal, providing information on the products at the Innovation Park, their suppliers, contacts and the related technologies. The MBE KTN recently announced sponsorship of a new Technology Zone in the Centre, for members to showcase their latest technology.

The BRE Innovation Park, which contains the Visitor Centre, has attracted more than 30,000 visitors since opening in 2005. It features demonstration prototype properties showcasing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), near zero-carbon homes and over 200 different innovative and emerging technologies. 

Rethinking Housing Refurbishment - the BRE Stable Block exhibits all the problems associated with pre-1919 housing. The £2.7 million refurbishment project applies the latest innovative techniques in energy efficiency and intelligent design, helping demonstrate the important role that refurbishment can play in delivering low carbon housing for the 21st century. 

This example of best practice will use an Information and Training Centre to help kick-start a step-change in low carbon refurbishment standards nationally. This will help bring thousands more homes back onto the market, using low carbon innovative design to retrofit and preserve building character.

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