Beyond Electrification: From Design to Real-World Operation in a Low-Carbon Holiday Home
Replacing gas with electricity is only one part of the challenge in reducing carbon emissions from holiday homes. The wider challenge is how different technologies, systems and user needs can be brought together in a practical solution that works under real operating conditions.
This session follows the development of a low-carbon holiday home from initial design through to long-term living lab operation at a working holiday park. The session will share lessons from moving from design assumptions to real-world operation. It will also consider how operational experience can inform the future development of more responsive and effective energy management approaches.
The project is supported by the EPSRC-funded SWITCH to Net Zero Buildings Place Based Impact Acceleration Account, led by Kingston University and the University of Hull, brings together with Swift Group, Blackhills Caravan Sales and John Fowler Holidays.
Session Speakers
Dr Cheng Zeng is a Lecturer in Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies at the University of Hull’s Energy and Environment Institute. His research focuses on energy efficiency and the integration of low-carbon technologies in real-world applications. Cheng is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a Member of CIBSE (MCIBSE) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). He has a strong interest in translating research into practical solutions that can be developed and demonstrated in real operating environments. In the holiday home living lab project, Cheng plays a leading role in energy system integration, monitoring and operational performance. His wider research and knowledge-exchange activity spans domestic and non-domestic buildings, as well as data centres.
Dr Zishang Zhu is a Senior Lecturer in the Built Environment at Kingston University London, with over ten years of experience in sustainable buildings, renewable energy and low-carbon development. His research focuses on the integration of renewable energy and low-carbon technologies in buildings and communities, including solar energy, heat pumps, energy storage, building energy performance and low-carbon retrofit.
He also has extensive experience in carbon footprint assessment and decarbonisation across construction projects, organisations and communities, covering both operational and embodied carbon. His work combines building science, renewable energy, carbon assessment and data-driven approaches to develop practical tools and strategies that support net-zero buildings and communities.
Dr Zhu has led or contributed to more than 15 research and consultancy projects funded by organisations including EPSRC, Innovate UK, BEIS, Horizon 2020, local authorities and industry partners.
