GW4 universities-led project to continue to demonstrate how existing homes can be transformed for future generations
A project that has been working with communities in Swansea and Bristol to co-design liveable homes to go ‘Beyond Net Zero’ will run for a further two and a half years, thanks to additional funding of over £3 million from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
The Transforming Housing and Homes for Future Generations project aims to redesign housing built by councils between 1920-1940, which account for approximately 1.1 million homes still lived in the UK today.
The team, made up of researchers from the GW4 universities of Cardiff, Bath, Bristol and Exeter along with businesses, local authorities and community groups, has been working to co-design, test, implement and monitor innovative prototype solutions to improve the quality of existing housing.
Project Lead Professor Jo Patterson of the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University, said: “This project is about transforming homes rather than just retrofitting them. It is very disruptive to go into a home and retrofit it fully; it is very costly too.
“So, what we’re trying to do is plan and design changes that go beyond energy, working with residents, owners and the supply chain to create better, healthy homes for the future. This helps us look at the wider way that a home is used and makes the transformation process more efficient.”
The team’s two demonstration projects – in Swansea and Bristol – are due to start in January 2026.
A programme of outreach activities with local authorities, residents and community groups has informed the design of the demonstrations helping to understand what challenges they face and how the transformations can help to overcome these.
“We are monitoring the homes to understand what their energy use levels are like now, as well as temperatures, humidity and internal conditions, so we can paint a picture of the homes pre-transformation,” explains Professor Patterson.
“We’ll use that information together with the experiences of local authorities, residents and community groups to see where the issues may be.”
The second phase of the programme, which will run from October 2025 to March 2028, is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) with additional funding of £3.1 million.
Dr Rebecca Leithall, Interim Head of GW4, welcomed the news: “We are thrilled to see this project receive further funding, enabling it to continue its pioneering work in transforming homes into healthier, more energy-efficient spaces. Originating from a GW4 research community, this initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration and what can be achieved - not only by working across universities and disciplines, but also with our external partners.”
The funding extension was announced at the launch of the Green Transition Ecosystem exhibition in the Design Museum in London on Friday 12 September 2025, where the project will showcase its progress over the past 24 months.
In this second phase, the project will continue to support growth and the UK’s transition to Net Zero through scaling up design interventions and engaging diverse public audiences with the power of design through its flagship partnership with the Design Museum.
They will focus on real-world benefits and impacts of transforming homes for future generations, transitioning from research to recognising and implementing benefits.
The Future Observatory will also continue to act as both a coordination hub for the nationwide programme, as well as a research department within the museum.
The project has secured its additional funding as part of the AHRC’s support for the suite of Green Transition Ecosystem (GTEs) projects.
AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said: “We are delighted that the Green Transition Ecosystems have been renewed for a second phase. Each project demonstrates the power of design in convening stakeholders across communities, sectors and disciplines to intervene in systemic green transition challenges. In their second phase, the GTEs focus on delivering outcomes for future sustainable growth”.
