SELFBUILDER SURVEY: BUILDING A LOW CARBON HOME INTRODUCTION: COMMITTING TO LOW CARBON


This year’s survey tells us that despite challenges, not least the cost of building materials (54% of self-builders are saying that they’re finding timber more epensive, for starters, there is still a significant commitment towards creating low carbon homes in the UK. More than a third (37%) of respondents said that they are


building, retrofitting or aspiring to build a low carbon home  an increase of 6% on last year. A combination of factors underpin this upwards trajectory: the


uture omes tandard 2025 is now starting to inuence self- builders, architects and local authority planning departments (certainly in some areas if not all), there’s concern about energy costs and security due to global events, so futureproofing home


energy needs is an immediate concern, and acceptance that a low carbon home can be equally as impressive architecturally as what we might call a ’normal’ dwelling. Only 10% said that they had to change the initial intended look of their build significantly to make it a low carbon project. What we’re also seeing is that the construction industry, manufacturers and suppliers and yes, those planning departments, are becoming much more familiar with the concept of low carbon. In fact, some self-builders report deviating from original plans and doing a low carbon build because their local authority has demanded it as a condition of planning permission. eecting the increased familiarity in the industry, only 12% of our readers said that getting their build passed was ‘extremely challenging.’


A GLOBAL & LOCAL PROBLEM


Self-build homes contribute a relatively small amount to the UK’s built environment (still only around 10% of the UK’s total homes). But self-build homes can play a huge part in setting the highest standards for reducing carbon emissions, showing volume housebuilders and social housing providers how to build for the future wellbeing of local communities and the world. What challenges have they faced in 2023, as global weather patterns give cause for concern and smart meters clock up the cost of keeping warm?


Climate crisis There is certainly an overwhelming consensus among scientists globally that the world is not only getting warmer, but that that warming is causing a shift in weather patterns, with more extreme weather events such as ooding, and increased likelihood of global problems such as forest fires. The summer of 2023 saw forest fires decimate parts of


Greek islands and the mainland, and other areas around the Mediterranean, and in October, the UK experienced one of its wettest days ever, with up to 220 mm of rainfall in areas of Eastern Scotland, bringing this close to the previous high of 238 mm in Sloy Main Adit in Argyll and Bute in January 1974. The low carbon self-builder knows that by following the best


sustainable practice, they will be doing all they can to avoid contributing to further climate change. This year, 64% of our respondents said that the twin aims of ‘reducing overall carbon footprint’ and ‘avoid contributing to climate change’ were the main motivators for their projects.


Energy crisis


The war between Russia and Ukraine put a squeeze on gas supplies from early 2022. Although the UK imports only about 4% of its gas from Russia, and supply chain issues have eased slightly since, with a corresponding modest drop in the cost of gas to the consumer (prices per kWh unit do vary around the UK), there is still huge concern about future energy security. Until recently, electricity was considered as the cheaper


alternative to gas, but it’s now typically around three times the cost of gas per unit. The full impact of this is yet to be explored, but it is an important consideration for low carbon self-builders looking to save not just on emissions, but ongoing energy bills. The big question for the next 12 months is whether self-builders


really will make the total switch to electricity, or hedge their bets and install hybrid energy systems in their low carbon builds, maybe combining renewable energy with high-performance fossil fuel applications.


nov/dec 2023


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