ENGLAND — The temperature is almost -6C and despite the snow, workers are frantically putting the finishing touches to a pair of detached houses. …But the new builds are nestled inside Energy House 2.0, a £16m temperature-controlled chamber at the University of Salford. It is hoped the research facility will play an important role in testing the technologies that will make our homes greener and cheaper to run. …The main difference between the two houses is that, while the Bellway house is built from “real” bricks, the Barratt one is a timber frame made of 36cm-thick insulation-filled panels covered in a thin cladding that mimics a brick finish. The timber-frame house would secure a coveted A rating on an energy performance certificate. …It comes as the industry gears up for government standards that require a significant reduction in carbon emissions.