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ABC’s Impact and Legacy

By Dan Cook, Chief Executive of the Active Building Centre Active Building Centre was created in 2019 as part of UKRI’s Transforming Construction Challenge. The aim was to build on the academic work of Swansea University ,and others, and to use the active building principles and apply them to real world projects.  That is exactly…

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What next for #activebuildings

As ABC’s mission is set to be boosted by joining Energy Systems Catapult, ABC’s Head of Corporate Affairs Chris Brierley caught up with ESC’s Chief Executive Officer Guy Newey … CHRIS:   Guy, what attracted you to continuing the Active Building Centre mission around decarbonising the built environment ? GUY: For me, the challenge of…

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There are alternatives to heat pumps !

Whilst media reports around replacing gas boilers usually point toward air source heat pumps as the natural replacement, there is actually an array of other tech out there, but the problem is lack of awareness and knowledge.

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There are alternatives to heat pumps ! There are alternatives to heat pumps !

Active Building Centre (ABC) calls for built environment to lift its ambition and urgency to exceed #netzero requirements to become climate positive

ABC was setup as part of the Government’s Transforming Construction Challenge(TCC) in 2019. Since then we have worked on over 100 + projects with the aim to help transform the built environment and to accelerate decarbonisation. The work we have done has given us great insights into what needs to be done if we are to realistically decarbonise the built environment.  Last month we…

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Active Building Centre (ABC) calls for built environment to lift its ambition and urgency to exceed #netzero requirements to become climate positive Active Building Centre (ABC) calls for built environment to lift its ambition and urgency to exceed #netzero requirements to become climate positive

Collaboration in demand at suppliers event

This week, ABC brought together leaders from the construction and wider #netzero sectors to discuss the challenges facing suppliers and the supply chain in the current challenging market environment, as well as how they can work together to overcome the bigger issue of decarbonising our housing stock (and other buildings).

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Collaboration in demand at suppliers event Collaboration in demand at suppliers event

#NETZERO and the supply chain

As the Active Building Centre prepares to host a summit on the construction supply chain, ABC Industrial Engagement Lead Dr Tony Eccott takes a look at some of the issues and how the ABC is addressing them. Our supply chains are under pressure like never before. The coronavirus pandemic, labour shortages, the energy crisis and…

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#NETZERO and the supply chain #NETZERO and the supply chain

The Queen’s Speech: a good start, but not enough

The Queen’s Speech, laudably, restated the need for a transition to “cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy”. What we have seen last week is merely a start towards that aim – not the complete solution which the Government seems to think it is. As well as the power plants and new technologies which ministers are right to invest in, they would do well to start their thinking much closer to people’s homes and workplaces.

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Government or private, it’s time to get all our houses in order

By Chris Brierley, Head of Communications, Active Building Centre The Government is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. You doubtless already know this. Everyone does. It’s an inescapable fact of public life these days. We need to reach net zero to have any hope of limiting global temperature rises, and every department…

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Building partnerships and joining up thinking: the future of ABC

At our site in Berkeley, we act as a test bed, with our model homes and a community heat network demonstrating which technologies work and which don’t, doing the difficult work of trial and error for construction companies. We can bring together the best technologies and experts from all over the world to see what works in a live, real world environment.

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ABC Comment: Government investment in EV charging points

Last week the government announced a tenfold expansion in chargepoints by 2030 as ministers look to “drive the EV revolution”. Here’s some points from us: Charge points are still too few and far between, and by recognising this and taking action, last week’s announcement expanding the UK’s Electric Vehicle charging network to around 300,000 public…

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3D Digital Twin Technology: Revolutionising the Built Environment Sector

On 10th March, Lee Chambers, ABC’s Chief Commercial Officer, took part in an international panel discussion on the role of 3D digital twins and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) on the road to the decarbonisation of buildings. This was part of IIoT World’s Smart Cities & Buildings Day, which brought together subject matter experts,…

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The future of our local electricity grid

With unprecedented challenges currently facing global energy supplies, there has never been a more apposite time to be discussing upgrades to our national grid infrastructure. Any updates must guarantee that we can supply enough power to fuel our activities, buildings and vehicles safely and sustainably, both now and into the future.  

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Mythbusting: Some common climate crisis misconceptions

Even without a dramatic leap forward in technology, much of the kit we will use in the zero-carbon houses of the future is already available off the shelf. The challenge is to integrate these in the optimal configuration. Educating councils, developers, housebuilders and homeowners is therefore critically important.

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How ABC can transform construction in Wales (and beyond)

By Andrew Perry, Chief Operating Officer at the Active Building Centre Wales has been at the vanguard of the response to the climate emergency – both within the UK and around the world. That has been apparent to us at the Active Building Centre since even before our organisation came into being in 2018. We…

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ABC is leading the charge

The challenge of climate change demands action; in the built environment more than any other sector. But it requires that action understands what works, the networks and interfaces between different built assets, and the complex system of systems that encompasses the places where we live and work, and how to adapt this for a better future.

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