Net Zero High Density Buildings

The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB) is a major new UKRI Green Economy Centre, led by the University of Edinburgh in partnership with the University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, Edinburgh Napier University, the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and BE‑ST (Built Environment – Smarter Transformation) (Scotland’s construction innovation centre).

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High-density building areas in cities and towns pose some of the greatest challenges in meeting “net zero” targets - and they represent critical leverage points for the future UK green economy. With diverse building stock, multi-use spaces, historic and listed status constraints, and complex embedded systems, innovative low-carbon and retrofit solutions are required to address these challenges. 

CeNZ-HighDB is developing, testing and driving deployment of innovations including:

• High-energy-efficiency building fabrics; 

• Rapid-fit, lower-cost heating technologies; 

• Novel community heating and cooling systems for, e.g., dense multi-use streetscapes;

• Advanced thermal-cooling modelling and data-driven innovation to underpin the green economy. 

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A key focus is on inclusive benefits: many of the UK’s key workers, low-income households and disadvantaged groups live in high-density buildings. The Centre’s work will contribute to reducing energy costs, cutting carbon emissions, and accelerating retrofit delivery in social housing and urban domains.