Working towards the definition


of zero carbon for new homes By Niel Jefferson, Chief Executive of the Zero Carbon Hub


“Agreement on a Carbon Compliance Standard will firm up the majority of the definition of zero carbon, enabling house builders to anticipate how they might meet the considerable challenge that 2016 brings. It is therefore vitally important that views are expressed and captured to ensure that the Standard is fit for purpose, that it makes an effective contribution to the zero carbon homes policy and to meeting wider national carbon targets.” Imtiaz Farookhi, Chief Executive, NHBC


The Housing Minister made an announcement in July regarding zero carbon homes. Since then, a Zero Carbon Hub led Task Group has been working to assess the factors and issues that could impact on the Carbon Compliance element of the definition. Here Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive of the Zero Carbon Hub, discusses how the work of the Task Group is developing. Since July, the Zero Carbon Hub led Task Group has been identifying, modelling and assessing the factors and issues that could impact on Carbon Compliance.


Many people from across the sector now understand Carbon Compliance is a key component of the definition for zero carbon homes and we ran a series of ‘Have Your


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Expressing Carbon Compliance Currently, Carbon Compliance is expressed as a percentage reduction of carbon emissions compared with 2006 Building Regulations standards. The current proposal is to avoid the complexity of constantly referring back to the 2006 Building Regulations standards and to define Carbon Compliance in terms of the amount of CO2 emissions permitted for houses on a development. So, for example, the 70% Carbon Compliance figure, which has been at the centre of the debate, translates to about a maximum limit of 6 kgCO2eq/m2/year. It is hoped that this will greatly simplify the language around the Carbon Compliance debate.


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