TRITON SPONSORED RESEARCH 37
them, with . of respondents saying it was ‘very important’ and . saying it was ‘fairly important’. espite agreeing the need for installing energy-effi cient technologies is high, interestingly, respondents’ views as to why water usage is set to increase are varied and somewhat unclear. When offered a variety of potential reasons to choose from, our survey cohort struggled to settle on one. The need to supply the growing population was the most selected (48.2%). Respondents also identifi ed changing water availability driven by climate change (33.4%), interruptions to supply caused by droughts (35.7%), and unsustainable abstraction (25%) as issues that need addressing.
The average household water usage in the UK is 142 litres per person per day. Part G requires that usage to drop to 125 litres, and RIBA has proposed an even more ambitious target of 75 litres per person per day by 2030. For housebuilders, the Part G target is mostly viewed as realistic, with . saying it’s ‘very realistic’ and . saying it’s ‘fairly realistic.’ However, 28.6% said they will struggle to meet the target set out in Part G, and when asked about the RIBA target, that increased to .. nly view it as ‘very realistic’ and . say it’s ‘fairly realistic’, demonstrating a clear need for further support for housebuilders.
ENERGY USE & THE FUTURE HOMES STANDARD There is a direct link between high household water usage and overall energy use, given the relatively intensive energy use required to heat water. However, while most of our respondents agreed the link is somewhat clear to them, 60.7% said it was only ‘fairly clear’ and that they could know more about it. . said they ‘understand it completely’. lectric showers can help contribute to energy savings in this regard, but our survey once again highlights a gap in the knowledge of developers and specifi ers and the solutions available to them to tackle issues.
The FHS, set to become mandatory in 2025, aims to decarbonise UK homes by focusing on improving heating, hot water systems, and reducing heat waste. With water usage and more specifi cally the heating of water falling within this, we asked housebuilders if they feel the FHS provides appropriate guidance when it comes to specifying showering solutions. Only 26.8% said it provides all the necessary guidance, with 50% saying it provides some and 23.2% saying it doesn’t provide any. It’s clear housebuilders are in need of further direction and information to place them in the best position to tackle decarbonisation.
SOLUTIONS
There are a range of solutions and technologies available to housebuilders and specifi ers to help them meet incoming standards such as the FHS, Part L, and Part G. These include MVHR, solar thermal panels, heat pump solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, battery storage systems, biomass boilers, and combined heat & power (CHP) systems. When asked to select which of the technologies housebuilders are already specifying, the most common answer (49%) was heat pump solar PV panels. 47.4% are specifying solar thermal panels, and 38.6% are installing battery storage systems. This demonstrates that while housebuilders generally feel more guidance and
education is needed on how best to reduce carbon emissions, many are already taking steps to improve their developments’ energy effi ciency.
When asked about meeting specifi c water use guidelines, 28.6% of respondents say they are installing electric showers – the most selected answer. ther solutions specifi ed to help meet water use guidelines include gravity-fed showers, non-electric power showers, water-saving bathroom and kitchen appliances, and internal and outdoor fl ow controllers. ther respondents said it depends on the project, and 12.5% said they leave it to the installer, indicating a potential lack of accountability and standard ‘in-house’ procedure among developers. When asked what more could be done to make housebuilders aware of the link between showers and energy usage, some of the ‘verbatim’ comments received strongly urged the industry to provide more and better information, with “training courses”, “education education education”, and “more detailed information from local authorities” among the comments received. One respondent asserted: “Guidance – both technical and regarding grant eligibility – about how water heating can be done using renewables is bad.” They continued: “Rules change all the time and suppliers/manufacturers don’t supply good instructions for integrative heating designs.” Other respondents suggested “reducing consumption levels” and introducing smart meters for hot water that show “real-time cost for showers or baths”, encouraging homeowners themselves to take responsibility for their household usage. This was further reinforced when respondents were asked if they agree the predicted increase in water prices for consumers will make them more conscious of their water usage, with 50% saying they ‘strongly agree.’
Another comment suggested “reducing the use of warm and hot water with improved appliances.” When asked if manufacturers could do more to support housebuilders when it comes to water effi ciency, said they ‘strongly agree’, reinforcing the perception that some developers feel that better information and product choice would benefi t them. When asked how useful the information available on electric showering solutions via SAP is, 46.4% of respondents said it’s ‘fairly useful’ and . said it’s ‘very useful’ a more positive response rate relating to available guidance.
PRIORITISING WATER EFFICIENCY & REDUCING WATER USAGE any developers indicated water effi ciency is not currently their top priority, with 50% strongly agreeing with the statement that they are currently focusing on heating/insulation, again demonstrating the need for better education on the benefi ts of water effi ciency in the overall reduction of carbon emissions. Furthermore, 48.2% admitted they don’t pay much attention to water effi ciency when specifying bathrooms. espite this, . selected ‘strongly agree’ when presented with the statement ‘Water effi ciency infl uences the design of our water heating systems’, indicating that while it may not be a top priority, it is a consideration. This is further reinforced by 40% strongly agreeing that fl ow rate is a ‘meaningful measure’ when it comes to product selection. When it comes to the specifi cs of how to meet the Part water reductions per person per day, when given the opportunity to select all options that apply, 43% say they are implementing rainwater harvesting. This was by far the most popular choice, with the next most selected answer being leak detection and prevention systems, which 28.6% of respondents chose. Selections across the remaining options were quite evenly
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