Sustainability and Low Carbon Design

Low-Carbon Homes are Affordable

In 2006 the government's then chancellor Gordon Brown announced the zero-carbon homes policy, which would have made all new homes carbon neutral from 2016. However, in 2015 this plan was axed by David Cameron, as it was seen as being too expensive to build low-carbon homes. Test-bed projects such as the Solcer House technologies, developed by Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University (just as the zero-carbon policy was being abolished) show that low carbon actually, is affordable and what’s more it can pay for itself! 2 years later and the Solcer House is still looking good. It uses a systems-based approach, combining technologies that reduce energy use, generate energy and store energy. The Solcer House is highly insulated, the photovoltaic panels are the roof, removing the expense of standard roof tiles. A battery system has been included which stores energy generated by the photovoltaic panels during the day and energy can be used in the evenings when electrical energy is required by the occupants. Over an annual period, the Solcer House generates 1.75 times more energy than it uses. Costing £1,200/m2 to build, which is in the budget range for social housing, the Solcer House has the added bonus that energy bills will be very low, at around £200 per year, therefore reducing the potential for energy poverty for the householders. More than 153,000 new homes have been built in the year to June 2017, (an increase of 11% compared with the year before) which accounts for 27% of total UK carbon emissions. If the government are to meet their targe of 80% reduction in carbon emission by 2050, they might want to reconsider their policy on low carbon housing. Browse all sustainability and low carbon design jobs