Barratt becomes headline partner of Energy House fund to tackle climate change and fuel poverty

Friends of Energy House Labs is an initiative that directs donations from organisations into an impact fund to raise awareness of climate change, tackle fuel poverty, and educate the next generation on sustainability.

It also aims to improve the talent pipeline into the net zero workforce and deliver cutting-edge research on energy efficiency and fuel poverty through Scholarships and PhD studentships.

This is the second year for the Friends of Energy House initiative, with bolder ambitions to deliver more impact in 2023. Barratt has pledged to join the University of Salford’s Energy House Labs Philanthropic Programme this year as its first ever Headline Partner.

It follows the launch earlier this year of Energy House 2.0, The University of Salford’s latest and most ambitious project aiming to help improve the energy efficiency of our homes. Energy House 2.0 is a research facility containing some of the most innovative energy saving homes of the future, built by Barratt Developments, Saint-Gobain and Bellway.

David Thomas, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments, said: “Climate change is the greatest challenge facing all of us. As the country’s leading sustainable national housebuilder, we have a big role to play in reducing carbon emissions and our impact on the environment. Our partnership with the University of Salford is fundamental to the research needed to help Barratt, and the wider construction sector, to achieve net zero carbon.

“It’s also very important to us that we take a leading role in improving the lives of people in local communities here in Salford and right across the country. The Friends of Energy House impact fund will direct much-needed support to people who are really suffering the effects of the cost of living crisis. We would encourage other companies to join Barratt in becoming a partner.”

Professor Karl Dayson, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Salford said: “Tackling fuel poverty and climate change are two of the biggest challenges we face as a society. This extremely generous donation from Barratt Developments will be a huge help in our efforts to support communities in Salford and further afield to deal with high energy costs. It will also help us fund a PhD studentship and scholarships at undergraduate and masters level.”

Thanks to the donation from Barratt, the Impact Fund will be able to provide financial and other support to community initiatives in Salford and across the UK. In Salford, more than half of young people are growing up in poverty, with a crippling cost of living and fuel poverty crisis. The Friends of Energy House Labs programme bridges the gap between cutting-edge research on campus and the day-to-day challenges faced by households.

Barratt’s donation will also support a portfolio of scholarships at undergraduate and masters level on a Barratt Developments Sustainable Housing Scholarship Programme to help bring brilliant talent into the workforce. It will also support a PhD studentship in energy efficiency and donate to the community-focused Impact Fund. One of the key factors in achieving net zero in construction will be closing the skills gap.

For anyone wishing to join Barratt in becoming a Friend of Energy House Labs, the starting donation level is £10,000. Please contact Hannah Fox for more information: h.c.fox@salford.ac.uk