Latest news:

5th October 2011:

MP for Brighton Pavilion and the UK's only Green Party MP, Dr Caroline Lucas, came to inspect the THTKB site. Caroline said, "I absolutely agree with you that our best way of recession is through investment in green industries." Read more on Duncan-Baker Brown's THTKB blog

We are still looking for about £125,000 to complete the rebuild. We are hoping to have these funds in place this Autumn/ Winter so that the rebuild can be complete for opening at next year's Graduate Show.

See how the project has developed in our THTKB news archive

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Phase one project partners: Brighton and Hove City Council, University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, The Mears Group | Phase one primary sponsors: Mears Group and suppliers | Design team: BBM, BBP, Robinson Associates, Roger Case, Deeks & Steere Phlorum See our page of partners and supporters

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What is The House that Kevin Built?

What are we doing?

Duncan Baker-Brown, architect and architectural researcher at the University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, leads a project to develop a sustainable urban studio at the University of Brighton's Grand Parade Campus in the centre of the city.

The project is based on the building that Duncan created in 2008 together with Kevin McCloud from Channel 4's Grand Designs show. The 2008 version of the house was the UK's first contemporary low-energy prefabricated house built using entirely ecologically friendly materials. Read more about the 2008 House that Kevin Built.

Who's involved?

There is a widespread involvement in the project, from those who offer personal donation or show interest in the project, to major partners: Brighton & Hove City Council, the Building Research Establishment, the construction industry's research and consultancy organisation, and the University of Brighton.

Kevin McCloud says: "I'm very pleased that the University of Brighton is committed to exploring new low-carbon methods of building. It's exciting to think that the campus could have its own practical demonstration building and I'm delighted to be connected to the university through this innovative piece of construction."

Students and researchers at the University of Brighton are involved with the project, with students learning through additional work and projects alongside the build.

The university and the creative community of the Faculty of Arts are committed to making a social and cultural difference and playing an integral role in the economic development of their immediate community, in this case promoting and sharing the benefits of sustainable living. 

Who will benefit?

You will. And everyone who will be living our shared future. The research developments in eco-architecture are essential to everyone.

For the University of Brighton, the house will provide a vital centrepiece, a built experiment and a showcase that demonstrates the university's commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2015.

For Brighton, the finished building will be a beacon and an experimental venue for research, for workshops, seminars and exhibitions that will draw together the university's and the city's communities around shared concerns for a sustainable carbon-neutral lifestyle.

We are involving local schools and other communities in the build project, engaging them in the process of learning through building and inspiring them through that experience to explore sustainable design and zero-carbon living.

Students will benefit throughout the development, gaining understanding of the project, eco-architecture and the recording of architectural developments as well as a number of 'spin-off' projects. Techniques and methods for the build will feed directly into our research and teaching.

The rebuild of The House that Kevin Built will showcase the materials, methods and techniques required to produce ecologically friendly, carbon-neutral housing stock.

The house and the construction process will be part of the research project; testing, evaluating and refining cutting-edge and sustainable new materials and consstruction methods. Working with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) our researchers at the Faculty of Arts will undertake a long-term evaluation of the house. The resulting longitudinal study and subsequent experiments will contribute to the knowledge of the entire construction industry.

Intellectually the project extends our research in this critical area of activity and complements a large EU support project Innovation For Renewal (IFORE) co-ordinated by Professor Mike McEvoy, desmonstrating the real world value and impact of our research.

Why is it necessary?

Finding ways to build and live sustainably is a social imperative in our contemporary lives. The university aims to exceed EU targets for a 30 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions and become an exemplar for the city and the region in sustainable design and practice. 

In the UK, 45 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions come from architectural structures. In addition the construction of a traditional house produces considerable waste.

We at the University of Brighton are committed not only to researching towards carbon reduction, but to educating young people for their contemporary challenges and the answering of real world problems.

How can I get involved?

To build the house we hope to raise £300,000. The house won't be expensive in itself.  It is coming out at about £2,200/m2 which totals up at about £190,000&+ vat. This is calculated at the anticipated full cost of materials and construction including interior. VAT however will be 20% as the house will be a university research building.

Many people and organisations are giving directly to the project, Duncan Baker-Brown is giving his time and the University of Brighton are giving land. Brighton and Hove City Council has granted planning permission. Kind support from suppliers further offsets costs and a number of technologies are being incorporated thanks to generous help from sponsors.

The university is approaching construction companies, DIY businesses, environment groups, energy firms and individuals to join with us in this project with donations. Read more about funding, donations and getting involved on our THTKB funding page.

To be part of this major step in eco-building in Brighton you can use our donation link below. Please could you mention The House That Kevin Built in the comments box when you make the donation on the University of Brighton's JustGiving site to ensure that we direct it to this project.

For further information about donation and sponsorship, please contact the project funding organiser, Andrew Scanlan, directly at A.D.Scanlan@brighton.ac.uk

 

Interview with Duncan Baker Brown and Kevin McCloud

Footage of the 2008, Grand Designs, The House That Kevin Built