The Project
The Zero Carbon Homes project is based at Bartlett School of Planning, University College London. Dr Jo Williams (Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Development, UCL) runs the project in conjunction with an international network of researchers, academics and professionals.
In December 2006, the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) published a strategy for moving by regulation to ‘zero carbon’ homes by 2016. This has generated a huge amount of debate within the construction industry, amongst energy-service providers and policy-makers as to whether it is currently feasible. The policy is the first of its kind globally. It should help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and drive innovation within the construction industry, making UK developers more competitive in these evolving markets. Thus potentially it is a win-win intervention.
However, the feasibility of delivering zero-carbon homes is widely contested. It is argued that there are currently significant technological, institutional, cultural and economic barriers to be overcome. If zero-carbon homes are to work effectively then occupants’ lifestyles will also need to be addressed.
This leads onto a further question: who will live in the zero-carbon homes and how will this influence the success of their operation? Very little research to date has sought to investigate this policy-implementation gap, yet it is crucial for effective delivery….
The Zero Carbon Homes Project seeks to address these questions…..