Written by Coed Lleol An innovative modular building system for affordable housing that uses sustainable Welsh wood has won five prestigious awards as it prepares for a major showcase in the United States.

Ty Unnos (house built in one night), which began as a collaborative project by Coed Cymru, the Design Research Unit at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) and Bangor University two years ago, has clinched the awards for innovation, sustainability and design.


The honours include a UK Technology Strategy Board research and development funding award, the Cardiff University 2009 Innovation Prize, the Chartered Institute of Building's International Design and Architecture Award, the Timber Research and Development Association's 75th Anniversary Award and the Interbuild Award for innovation in offsite construction.

The awards will help support ongoing research and development of the project to develop a system of high performance, low carbon, affordable housing based on the properties of home-grown Welsh softwood.

A specially designed version of Ty Unnos was shipped to the United States where it was recently assembled as part of a feature on Wales at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC.

The development of Ty Unnos has been funded by the Countryside Council for Wales, Wood Knowledge Wales, a Wales Forest Business Partnership initiative, Environment Agency and Powys County Council. In addition, a research post within the WSA's Design Research Unit has been jointly funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Coed Cymru.

Ty Unnos Modular, a volumetric housing system based on the original concept, is now being developed by Oswestry company Elements Europe and is expected to be launched to the affordable housing market by the end of this year.

The system comprises a series of portal frames made from Welsh spruce beams. Secondary ladder beams span between these frames to form floor and ceiling joists and wall studs. The whole structure is insulated to a very high standard using natural fibre.

The UK Technology Strategy Board has pledged to invest around £400,000 over two years in the Ty Unnos project to develop Sitka spruce for sustainable housing. It is one of six projects that are being supported by investment totalling £3 million to research and develop materials and components that will reduce energy and water consumption.

The aim of the project is overcome technical barriers and economic challenges to use high volume, low value Sitka spruce in an integrated system for low carbon affordable housing. Coed Cymru's partners in this project are Pontrilas Group Packaging Limited, WSA at Cardiff University, Kenton Jones Ltd and housing group Grwp Gwalia.

Cardiff University's 2009 Innovation Prize was awarded to the WSA's Design Research Unit in partnership with Coed Cymru, which is based in Tregynon, near Newtown.

Coed Cymru's director David Jenkins said the awards were the result of a great team effort by all the Ty Unnos partners.

"To move from the original challenge set by the Countryside Council for Wales two years ago - to produce affordable, sustainable housing from home-grown softwood - to where we are today is a testament to the strength of the original idea and the vision of our supporters who are now bringing the product to the market," he added.

Kevin Arthur, Ty Unnos Modular project manager, said: "The Ty Unnos Modular housing system is Elements Europe's latest product. The highly sustainable affordable housing solution will address the need for local and national low cost housing.

"The thermal performance and material selection of the modules will assist the developer to achieve level 4 for the Code for Sustainable Homes, ahead of current government sustainability targets.

"The modules will go into production in October 2009 starting from £68,000 for a one bedroom apartment, including all development costs as well as land."

For more information about Ty Unnos visit www.coedcymru.org.uk/tyunnos or www.elements-europe.com/ty-unnos