Energy House Labs: Where collaboration accelerates innovation

The climate emergency is both a global challenge and one that is felt close to home. Tackling this issue cannot be done in isolation. It requires researchers, industry, policymakers and communities working together to rethink how homes are designed, built and lived in. Low-carbon, energy-efficient homes are central to this collective effort.

Traditionally, evaluating new designs or technologies through field testing can take months or even years. However, at our Energy House Labs, researchers and partners work side by side in a uniquely controlled environment, accurate to within half a degree, enabling robust data to be generated in just a few weeks. By bringing expertise together under one roof, we dramatically shorten the journey from idea to impact.

Turning ideas into market-ready solutions

This collaborative approach accelerates innovation. We support innovators, manufacturers and housing providers to co-develop and test solutions that improve the performance of new and existing homes, helping energy-efficient products reach the market faster. The result is shared value: economic growth, faster progress on carbon reduction, and real benefits for consumers through lower energy bills.

Our impact so far

By combining knowledge, facilities and ambition, we show how working together can deliver homes that are better for people, the planet and the economy.

Together we have:

• Worked with 173 companies and helped test 55 energy-saving products, leading to business revenues of £103 million and huge savings on energy consumption and bills for consumers.
• Worked with a further 50 large business and start-ups under our £3 million Innovation Accelerator programme funded by UKRI.
• Helped approximately 5.2 million households to save money on energy bills - estimated at a saving of over £127 million on consumer energy bills and over 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
• Delivered the houses of the future - we're directly shaping a quarter of all new homes being built in the UK today.
• Through our Friends of Energy House philanthropic arm, raised £500k and developed a community of businesses and individuals committed to working together to extend the expertise of Energy House Labs into the community.
• Developed a future workforce critical to achieve net zero.

Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education

The research has been so impactful in February 2026 representatives from the University were presented with a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education by Their Majesties The King and Queen. The prestigious awards recognise outstanding work by UK universities and colleges that demonstrates excellence, innovation and benefit for the wider world.

It starts in Salford

Energy House Labs is a perfect example of how our community of researchers are finding solutions to the hard to solve problems facing the world around us. We've been at the heart of the world-leading innovations around social change and economic development that have defined Salford and Greater Manchester since the industrial revolution and transformed it into the thriving city region it is today - a place where ideas are formed that shape the world.

Learn more about Energy House Labs: https://energyhouselabs.salford.ac.uk

For all press office enquiries please email [email protected].

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