In Northumberland, over 360 households are off-grid, often relying on costly and unreliable renewable systems. Collaborating with Community Action Northumberland, the initiative is designed to connect with these off-grid families, with the primary aim being to enhance their access to affordable, consistent, and sustainable energy. The project is in the recruitment phase, seeking expertise in renewable and off-grid energy to examine the current conditions of these homes and chart a vision for sustainable energy futures.

Northumberland County Council, in collaboration with the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, embarked on a mission to ascertain the potential of a Forestry Innovation Centre/Programme based in Northumberland.

This programme was developed to facilitate innovative solutions for community-led housing within the north-east to try and re-address the UK's broken housing system towards more sustainable and equitable models.

Developing a Community Research Network in rural County Durham. This is as part of UK Research and Innovation's new national Community Research Network programme.

This project, funded by Innovate UK, a collaboration between Karbon Homes and Edwards Architecture, aims to use smaller, infill brownfield sites to provide ageing-friendly accommodation that supports older residents physically and emotionally.

The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) at Newcastle University and Rural Design Centre (RDC) are working in partnership to catalyse rural innovation in the North of Tyne area.