New research shows that as climate change drives up temperatures in the 21st century, the thermal mass in masonry homes can help maintain comfortable conditions while also helping to minimise energy use and CO2 emissions.

During the life of a home, the operational CO2 emissions have far more environmental impact than the embodied CO2 of the materials used to build it. Some 50% of the UK's carbon emissions are due to the energy used to heat, cool and light buildings. It is essential, therefore, that the energy which is likely to be consumed during a building's life cycle is taken into account when evaluating construction materials. A building's environmental impact does not stop once it has been built.

New research from Arup Research + Development shows that modern masonry houses that take advantage of their inherent thermal mass can save a significant amount of energy over their lifetime compared to lightweight timber frame housing. The research is the most comprehensive study to date to examine both embodied and operational CO2 emissions from dwellings in a warming climate. It provides strong evidence that lightweight timber homes may not be as comfortable or as sustainable in the long term as heavyweight masonry construction.

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