Can Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) Modular Housing achieve Net Zero and support the UK Social Housing Crisis?

Narula, Yashika and Finnegan, Stephen ORCID: 0000-0003-4003-0872 (2025) Can Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) Modular Housing achieve Net Zero and support the UK Social Housing Crisis? Journal of Building Engineering, 100. p. 111713. ISSN 2352-7102, 2352-7102

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Abstract

The UK faces a significant housing shortage while striving to meet its 2050 net-zero carbon targets. This study explores the potential of Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) modular housing to address both the housing crisis and carbon reduction goals. Using a case study of a newly constructed all-electric LGSF modular home in Wirral, UK, we assess its energy performance, achieving an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 10 kWh/sqm/year—surpassing the UK's 2021 Nearly-Zero Energy Building (nZEB) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) 2025 energy targets. Dynamic simulation modelling was employed to optimise design strategies, including fabric efficiency, airtightness, and photovoltaic (PV) systems, which collectively resulted in a net-zero operational carbon footprint. Despite LGSF's limited use in the UK, its success in countries like Canada, the USA, and Australia suggests its scalability for the UK. The findings demonstrate that LGSF modular housing can significantly contribute to the UK's housing targets—380,000 new homes annually, including 163,000 social housing units—while advancing carbon reduction efforts. This study provides real-world data that strengthens the case for LGSF as a sustainable, cost-effective solution for the UK's housing and climate challenges.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	33 Built Environment and Design, 3301 Architecture, 13 Climate Action, 7 Affordable and Clean Energy, 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of the Arts
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	06 Jan 2025 09:47
Last Modified:	03 Oct 2026 02:05
DOI:	10.1016/j.jobe.2024.111713
Open Access URL:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Related Websites:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3189444
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