Nuspan Flooring has been specified in a major research project to test the energy and thermal efficiency of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

Nuspan’s primary structural insulated closed floor panels have been installed in two plots within Energy House 2.0.

Energy House 2.0 is a purpose-built research chamber at the University of Salford, inside which two homes have been built by Bellway, Saint-Gobain and Barratt Developments. The project has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The homes have been built using a variety of construction methods, including MMC and offsite solutions, in order to test the impact that these methods and materials have on a home’s energy and thermal efficiency.

Nuspan’s floor panels feature in the Bellway plot, as well as the Saint-Gobain and Barratt Development plot. With continuous layer of insulation material (EPS) running across the entire floor and no gaps or infill panels, Nuspan’s floors can achieve U-values as low as 0.10W/m2K. This is a thermally efficient solution which already meets Future Homes Standard Part L requirements, ahead of coming into force in 2025.

The chamber will simulate a variety of weather conditions, including wind, rain, and temperatures ranging between -20°C and +40°C. Sensors have been placed in and around Nuspan’s floor panels, and will keep track of air movement and heat loss around the floors and at floor-to-wall joints.

“We are privileged to be involved in such a ground-breaking research and development project,” comments Helen Wildin, Sales & Marketing Manager at Nuspan Flooring.

“With housing, energy and economic crises posing huge challenges for businesses and individuals at the moment, the construction industry needs to make dramatic changes if we’re going to meet the needs of homeowners. We hope that the results from this research project will provide a great deal of insight into how the industry can increase productivity in an effective way.”

To find out how Nuspan Flooring’s award winning offsite insulated precast flooring solution can be incorporated into your project, call (01842) 810445 or email sales@nuspan.co.uk.

Image credits: Levi Edwards, Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland, and Nuspan Flooring