Code for Sustainable Homes: opportunities or threats for offsite manufacturing and mass-customization?

This study intends to, firstly, discuss current status of zero carbon homes in the UK, and secondly, to investigate the feasibility of using offsite construction methods to deliver mass customised zero carbon homes. The study concludes that mass customised offsite housing could be an answer to overcome the current barriers to achieve zero carbon homes in the UK; however, more work is required to increase the confidence of stakeholders including clients, designers, and housebuilders in offsite manufacturing in order to increase the share of such methods in the construction industry

Assessing the Risks of Dampness and Mould Growth in Renovated Properties

A large portion of the UK housing stock was built before the introduction of the 1989’s building regulations in which insulated cavity walls became mandatory. It is estimated that 65% of the UK housing stock have uninsulated walls and 49% have single glazed leaky windows making them inefficient in terms of energy performance. There have been great efforts during the recent years to improve the quality and energy performance of such buildings through retrofitting/refurbishment not only to improve the living standards of their occupants but also to achieve UK’s carbon emission targets for 2050. Refurbishing such buildings to improve their quality/energy performance may, at the same time, increase the risk of poor indoor air quality (IAQ), condensation, dampness, and mould growth in these buildings. Many refurbished housing stock in the UK are facing similar problems. Damp and mould issues affect between 30-50% of new or refurbished buildings. There is therefore a need for appropriate design strategies not only to improve the quality and thermal performances of such buildings but also to reduce the aforementioned risks through better design, construction detailing, methods, and management processes. This paper reports on the first phase of a joint university/industry Knowledge Transfer project to address the above issues in renovated student accommodations in North West England. Temperature, relative humidity, CO2, and meter readings are measured and recorded in three case study buildings. Results revealed a direct relationship between energy consumption, IAQ, and occupants’ behaviours in the buildings. CO2, Temperature, and RH levels were more acceptable in one of the case study buildings; however, its energy consumption was 7 times higher when compared with a similar building

Experiencing visual impairment in a lifetime home: an interpretative phenomenological inquiry

Lifetime home standards (LTHS) are a set of standards aimed at making homes more accessible. Previous research, however, indicates that LTHS do not adequately meet the needs of those with sensory impairments. Now, with visual impairment set to increase globally and acknowledging the recognised link between quality of dwelling and wellbeing, this article aims to examine the experiences of visually impaired people living in lifetime homes. The objectives are to investigate existing lifetime homes and to identify whether LTHS meet occupants’ needs. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with six visually impaired people living in homes designed to LTHS in Northern Ireland. Collected data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis identifying three super-ordinate themes: (1) living with visual impairment; (2) design considerations and (3) coping strategies. A core theme of balance between psychological and physical needs emerged through interconnection of super-ordinate themes. Although there are benefits to living in lifetime homes, negative aspects are also apparent with occupants employing several coping strategies to overcome difficulties. Whilst residents experience negative emotions following visual impairment diagnoses, results suggest that occupants still regard their homes as key places of security and comfort in addition to then highlighting the need for greater consideration of specific individual needs within general guidelines

Exploring collaborative design and sustainable living in British cohousing communities

Cohousing is a new collaborative housing concept to foster closer social bonding and sustainable communities. This paper discusses the key principles, priorities, and challenges of Cohousing design through interviews with four architects and four Cohousing community residents. The interviews were carried out 1) to demonstrate the application of the design standards, 2) to understand residents’ thinking and behaviour change, and 3) to establish the environmental and social sustainability in a cohousing setting. The findings could lead to a toolkit and guide for Cohousing design process and to establish a better understanding of Cohousing design and development process in the UK

Finding a way: long-term care homes to support dementia

An ageing demographic has increased the number of people with dementia. Although dementia is commonly associated with memory loss, other early symptoms include difficulty with wayfinding. Dementia alters visuo-spatial perception and the processes used to interpret the physical environment. The role of the design of the physical environment for people with dementia has gained increased recognition. Despite this, design for dementia is often overlooked, focusing on issues relating to physical impairment. This paper presents the results of a PhD study and aims to examine the role of the design of the physical environment in supporting wayfinding for people with dementia living in long-term care settings in Northern Ireland. Mixed methods combined the observation of wayfinding walks and conversational style interviews to elicit perspectives and experiences of residents with dementia. The findings aim to promote well-being for those with dementia living in long-term care settings

Quadrupolar excitons in a tunnel-coupled van der Waals heterotrilayer

Strongly bound excitons and many-body interactions between them determine light-matter interactions in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures of 2D semiconductors. Unlike fundamental particles, quasiparticles in condensed matter, such as excitons, can be tailored to alter their interactions and realize emergent quantum phases. Here, using a WS2/WSe2/WS2 heterotrilayer, we create a quantum superposition of oppositely oriented dipolar excitons - a quadrupolar exciton - wherein an electron is layer-hybridized in WS2 layers while the hole localizes in WSe2. In contrast to dipolar excitons, symmetric quadrupolar excitons only redshift in an out-of-plane electric field, consistent with ab initio calculations, regaining dipolar characteristics at higher fields. Electric field tunes the hybridization and allows for lifetime control through modification of the excitonic wavefunction. Lack of density-dependent blue shift of heterotrilayer excitons compared to dipolar excitons is consistent with quadrupolar interactions. Our results present vdW heterotrilayers as a field-tunable platform to engineer light-matter interactions and explore quantum phase transitions between spontaneously ordered many-exciton phases

Live-work interior quality for older people in low-income housing in Bangkok

This study explores to determine the live-work housing needs of low-income older people in informal settlements, the ways of life of whom contemporary housing provision often fails to consider. A questionnaire survey was conducted in three communities in Klong Toey, the largest informal settlement in Bangkok, to understand households’ satisfaction levels and expectations regarding the interior quality of their live-work housing. Older people’s specific interior spaces and housing requirements and expectations vary depending on the nature of their livelihood activities that can be categorised into three main groups, namely service, cook, and stock. The findings suggest a strong relationship between housing domains and the overall satisfaction of older people. There is a strong relationship between overall housing satisfaction and comfort in interior living spaces, as well as safety for domestic working spaces. Design, Health, Comfort, and Adaptability are important domains for live-work environments that ensure housing meets older people’s expectations. Therefore, housing design and improvements should embrace the live-work concept to maintain a sustainable and healthy ageing environment