Zero Carbon Homes

Phase 1: The problems in Britain – what are the barriers to delivering zero carbon homes by 2016?

Key Findings

1.0 Lessons for New Stock

- Cost is not the key barrier to the developing housing to higher environmental standards. Insufficient regulatory standards, technological, infrastructural and knowledge capacity are the key barriers to overcome.

- There is a real issue about whether there is currently the capacity in the house-building and energy industries to provide zero-carbon homes.

- Current government strategy is unlikely to drive the required increase in technological, infrastructural, service and knowledge capacity needed to deliver zero-carbon homes.

- The statutory framework needs to be strengthened if zero-carbon housing is to be delivered – using building codes ( national or regional) or placing a statutory duty on local authorities to achieve carbon targets.

- Developing the capacity to deliver zero-carbon homes will take time and may mean that the housing programme will need to go on hold or at least be slowed to enable this to happen.

- A variety of post-occupancy problems could restrict the effectiveness of technologies provided in zero-carbon homes, ranging from malfunctioning energy systems to residents removing the technologies and installing low performance alternatives.

- Developers complained that lack of suppliers, management and maintenance companies to support zero-carbon homes was the main barrier to their successful operation. Thus investment in this area is required to build the required capacity for delivery.

- The involvement of ESCO’s in new housing developments would help to overcome this problem.

- Use of passive technologies in new developments maintained and managed by external service providers is the most likely to be effective.

- A resident led approach is also feasible if there is some imperative for residents to change their behaviour (e.g. using voluntary agreements , personal carbon budgets) but only if appropriate training was provided in combination with adequate access to suitable technologies.

- The introduction of appropriate product legislation to ensure all new appliances and fixtures comply with zero-carbon standards.

2.0 Lessons for Existing Stock

- Installation of passive technologies

- Provide some imperative for resident action - voluntary agreements, personal carbon budgets, etc

- The need for resident training programmes – using information and monitoring techniques – Global Action Plan provides excellent model

- The need to strengthen communities - based on cohousing principals – encourage sharing resources, education through informal networks, easier to implement and see impact of local energy initiatives, peer pressure, etc.

- Tackle under-occupancy – relocation service, better designed communal accommodation, occupancy tax, etc.

- Provide some imperative for local government action, investment and support – e.g. local carbon targets.

- Improve access to technologies needed – product legislation.

- Encourage the involvement of ESCO’s in existing communities