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Retrofit assessment: Getting it right from the start (2024)
Journal Article
Fitton, R., & Swan, W. (2024). Retrofit assessment: Getting it right from the start. Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal and Valuation, 12(3), 208-217

The UK has some of the oldest buildings in Europe. They are also some of the worst performing in terms of energy performance. In tandem with these issues the UK has committed to making a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions. UK homes are currently... Read More about Retrofit assessment: Getting it right from the start.

Bellway Homes "The Future Home" Baseline Performance Report (2024)
Report
Fitton, R., Diaz, H., Farmer, D., Henshaw, G., Sitmalidis, A., & Swan, W. (2024). Bellway Homes "The Future Home" Baseline Performance Report. Salford: ERDF & Innovate UK

This report examines the fabric thermal performance of a prototype home (The Future Home, or TFH) built by Bellway Homes. The home was designed and built to meet the anticipated Future Homes Standard in terms of fabric performance. The research was c... Read More about Bellway Homes "The Future Home" Baseline Performance Report.

Saint Gobain & Barratt Developments “eHome2” Baseline Performance Report (2024)
Report
Fitton, R., Diaz Hernandez, H., Farmer, D., Henshaw, G., Sitmalidis, A., & Swan, W. (2024). Saint Gobain & Barratt Developments “eHome2” Baseline Performance Report. Salford: ERDF & Innovate UK

This report examines the fabric thermal performance of a prototype home (eHome2) built through a partnership with Saint Gobain and Barratt homes. The home was designed and built to meet the anticipated Future Homes Standard in terms of fabric perfor... Read More about Saint Gobain & Barratt Developments “eHome2” Baseline Performance Report.

A Practitioner Study into the Variability of Domestic Energy Assessments (2023)
Journal Article
Gledhill, T., Swan, W., & Fitton, R. (2023). A Practitioner Study into the Variability of Domestic Energy Assessments. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-10-2022-0167

This paper focuses on the assessment of a domestic property’s energy performance status by a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA), to ascertain the possible underlying reasons for variability in the results of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). By var... Read More about A Practitioner Study into the Variability of Domestic Energy Assessments.

Urban cooling : which façade orientation has the most impact on a microclimate? (2020)
Journal Article
Taleghani, M., Swan, W., Johansson, E., & Ji, Y. (2021). Urban cooling : which façade orientation has the most impact on a microclimate?. Sustainable Cities and Society, 64, 102547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102547

Deploying solar reflective materials on urban surfaces is known as an effective heat mitigation strategy. Several studies have shown their cooling impacts; however, most of them have focused on rooftops rather than facades. The novelty of this paper... Read More about Urban cooling : which façade orientation has the most impact on a microclimate?.

Air pollution in a microclimate; the impact of different green barriers on the dispersion (2019)
Journal Article
Taleghani, M., Clark, A., Swan, W., & Mohegh, A. (2020). Air pollution in a microclimate; the impact of different green barriers on the dispersion. Science of the Total Environment, 711, 134649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134649

This paper studies the impact of different green barriers on the dispersion of air pollution in
a neighbourhood. The study was performed with reference to air quality conditions in
Manchester, UK. Manchester experiences a high level of NO2. Measure... Read More about Air pollution in a microclimate; the impact of different green barriers on the dispersion.

Thermal performance of thermal paint and surface coatings in buildings in heating dominated climates (2019)
Journal Article
Simpson, A., Fitton, R., Rattigan, I., Marshall, A., Parr, G., & Swan, W. (2019). Thermal performance of thermal paint and surface coatings in buildings in heating dominated climates. Energy and Buildings, 197, 196-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.04.027

A purported approach to reducing heating energy in solid wall “hard to heat” housing is the simple application of a thin layer (< 1mm) of thermal paint containing insulating additives. The objective of this study was to test the energy saving clai... Read More about Thermal performance of thermal paint and surface coatings in buildings in heating dominated climates.

Retrofit modelling of existing dwellings in the UK : the Salford Energy House case study (2019)
Journal Article
Ji, Y., Lee, A., & Swan, W. (2019). Retrofit modelling of existing dwellings in the UK : the Salford Energy House case study. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 37(3), 344-360. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-12-2018-0106

There is a clear consensus that improving energy efficiency of existing housing stock is
necessary to meet the UK’s legally binding carbon emission targets by 2050. The aim of this
research is to assess the energy saving potentials from building re... Read More about Retrofit modelling of existing dwellings in the UK : the Salford Energy House case study.

Building dynamic thermal model calibration using the Energy House facility at Salford (2019)
Journal Article
Ji, Y., Lee, A., & Swan, W. (2019). Building dynamic thermal model calibration using the Energy House facility at Salford. Energy and Buildings, 191(May 19), 224-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.03.001

Thermal modelling tools have widely been used in the construction industry at the design stage, either for new build or retrofitting existing buildings, providing data for informed decision-making. The accuracy of thermal models has been subject of m... Read More about Building dynamic thermal model calibration using the Energy House facility at Salford.

Renaturing a microclimate : the impact of greening a neighbourhood on indoor thermal comfort during a heatwave in Manchester, UK (2019)
Journal Article
Taleghani, M., Marshall, A., Fitton, R., & Swan, W. (2019). Renaturing a microclimate : the impact of greening a neighbourhood on indoor thermal comfort during a heatwave in Manchester, UK. Solar Energy, 182, 245-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.02.062

Higher air temperatures in large cities like Manchester, UK, reduce human thermal comfort. In this paper, the impact of land cover on microclimate, and consequently on indoor thermal comfort is studied. Through different stages, field measurements an... Read More about Renaturing a microclimate : the impact of greening a neighbourhood on indoor thermal comfort during a heatwave in Manchester, UK.

Comparison of whole house heat loss test methods under controlled conditions in six distinct retrofit scenarios (2018)
Journal Article
Alezzo, F., Farmer, D., Fitton, R., Hughes, T., & Swan, W. (2018). Comparison of whole house heat loss test methods under controlled conditions in six distinct retrofit scenarios. Energy and Buildings, 168, 35-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.03.024

The accurate assessment of buildings to assess their performance across a range of parameters is an essential part of understanding both new and retrofit buildings. The growing understanding of the performance gap in terms of its assessment and chara... Read More about Comparison of whole house heat loss test methods under controlled conditions in six distinct retrofit scenarios.

The staged retrofit of a solid wall property under controlled conditions (2017)
Journal Article
controlled conditions. Energy and Buildings, 156, 250-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.09.033

Retrofit of hard to treat properties has been highlighted as a policy challenge to reduced energy consumption in
the UK. This study undertook an experimental staged retrofit of a pre-1919 UK solid wall property under
controlled conditions. The prop... Read More about The staged retrofit of a solid wall property under controlled conditions.

Maturity Matrix Assessment: evaluation of energy efficiency strategies in Brussels historic residential stock (2017)
Journal Article
Gonzalez, A., Zotano, M., Swan, W., Bouillard, P., & Elkadi, H. (2017). Maturity Matrix Assessment: evaluation of energy efficiency strategies in Brussels historic residential stock. Energy Procedia, 1(111), 407-416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.202

Energy retrofitting of historic or existing buildings is a challenge that it has not yet been properly fully addressed. Multiple projects and methodologies are published every day but neither of them with the holistic approach that will assure comple... Read More about Maturity Matrix Assessment: evaluation of energy efficiency strategies in Brussels historic residential stock.

Heat-flow variability of suspended timber ground floors: Implications for in-situ heat-flux measuring (2016)
Journal Article

Reducing space heating energy demand supports the UK’s legislated carbon emission reduction targets and requires the effective characterisation of the UK’s existing housing stock to facilitate retrofitting decision-making. Approximately 6.6 million U... Read More about Heat-flow variability of suspended timber ground floors: Implications for in-situ heat-flux measuring.

Understanding our heritage : monitoring of energy and environmental performance of traditional terraced houses of Northern England (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Gonzalez, A., Roberts, B., Fitton, R., Swan, W., & Elkadi, H. (2016, October). Understanding our heritage : monitoring of energy and environmental performance of traditional terraced houses of Northern England. Presented at EECHB Energy Efficiency and Comfort of Historic Buildings, Brussels

Existing buildings play a key role in the achievement of the ambitious energy saving and greenhouse gas reduction targets that Europe has fixed for 2020 and 2050. Research has demonstrated that the impact in terms of decrease of energy use and CO2 wi... Read More about Understanding our heritage : monitoring of energy and environmental performance of traditional terraced houses of Northern England.

The variability of UK domestic energy assessments (2016)
Journal Article
Gledhill, T., Kempton, J., Swan, W., & Fitton, R. (2016). The variability of UK domestic energy assessments. Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal and Valuation, 4(4), 264-279

The 2008 Climate Change Act has committed the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 from 1990 levels. Key to achieving this is a focus on reducing carbon emissions in residential property, where more than a quarter of the nation's carb... Read More about The variability of UK domestic energy assessments.

Assessing overheating of the UK existing dwellings – a case study of replica Victorian end terrace house (2014)
Journal Article
Ji, Y., Fitton, R., Swan, W., & Webster, P. (2014). Assessing overheating of the UK existing dwellings – a case study of replica Victorian end terrace house. Building and Environment, 77, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.03.012

This paper aims to investigate the likely thermal performance of a unique pre-1919 Victorian case study property by using both current and future projected weather data after a deep retrofit. The property is a re-construction within an environmental... Read More about Assessing overheating of the UK existing dwellings – a case study of replica Victorian end terrace house.

Mutual objective setting for partnering projects in the public sector (2007)
Journal Article
Swan, W., & Khalfan, M. (2007). Mutual objective setting for partnering projects in the public sector. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 14(2), 119-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/09699980710731254

Purpose – The use of partnering has grown within the public sector of the UK construction industry. Central to partnering is the use of the partnering charter. The charter establishes the mutual objectives of the project team. The purpose of this pap... Read More about Mutual objective setting for partnering projects in the public sector.