CAN WE BUILD ZERO CARBON HOMES NOW?

Can housebuilders deliver net zero carbon homes? Some already are – but there’s no o cial definition of a zero-carbon home, and there needs to be

The UK needs at least 300,000 new homes every year to bridge the current gap in demand and supply. Surprisingly, despite the pandemic, government statistics reveal that 243,770 were built in 2019-2020, the highest number since 1987.

But it’s no longer just about the numbers, it’s also increasingly about how sustainably built and carbon-friendly they are.

The government’s mantra for everything, including the housebuilding industry, is to “build back better”, but according to the National Federation of Builders, ministers haven’t even set out a roadmap to get to net zero homes, or even defined what a net zero home is.

According to Rico Wojtulewicz the Federation’s Head of Housing and Planning Policy: “We have always said that if the government can decide on a national standard of housing, for instance one such as the international low energy design standard of the Passivhaus, then the industry can plan the route to achieving that.”

But he warns that change has to be deliverable. “Let’s work out a pragmatic way to achieve zero carbon homes –and the first question that needs to be answered is what is a carbon neutral house? Is it one on district heating? Does it use ground or air source heat pumps? Is it made of wood? Is it airtight?

“The method of construction and materials used have to be thought through. Rushing towards a solution will create problems in the future. We need to work out a

£20 million cash boost for West Midlands to make homes greener

A £20 million government investment has been awarded across 10 West Midlands councils, including Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, to retrofit more than 1,500 homes, establishing the country’s first decarbonised neighbourhoods.

Herefordshire, Coventry, North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon councils have secured more than £5.5 million for more than 450 homes between them.

Wychavon District Council in Worcestershire has secured more than pragmatic way to get to the end goal and identify what that goal is.”

And he warns that while academics can come up with novel construction methods and materials, that doesn’t always mean they will do the job. “Whatever the industry decides, the solution needs to be one which can work at scale.”

£5 million to retrofit 236 homes, while Worcester City Council has secured funding to retrofit 140 homes.

The West Midlands will also benefit from £61 million awarded to the Midland Local Energy Hub to upgrade additional homes in the region.