BUILDING PRODUCTS
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FUTURE HOMES STANDARD IS A STARTING POINT
The upcoming Future Homes Standard represents an important step towards more sustainable housing but should be viewed as a foundation rather than a ‘ceiling’ according to Simon Garbett of Wienerberger
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here’s little doubt that the homebuilding industry still has a mountain to climb in achieving its net zero targets. In late 2023, the fi rst update of the UK Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap – the built environment’s action plan to 2050 developed by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) – revealed a signifi cant lack of progress and policy gaps in the sector’s net zero journey. One of the most noteworthy acts of legislation, the forthcoming Future Homes Standard, aims to change this by ensuring new homes built from 2025 produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes delivered under the previous regulations. However, following its industry consultation, the standard has not made quite the impact that was hoped. An industry letter drafted by the Good Homes Alliance, Bioregional, the Low Energy Transformation Initiative, the UK Green Building Council, plus 250 other industry leaders, was recently sent to the UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. The letter stated that the Future Homes Standard is ‘not a defi nitive Future Homes Standard, but rather a positive step towards it,’ and requested further iteration to ensure a higher specifi cation is met by 2028. It’s clear the industry remains at the beginning of its journey and while legislative landmarks like the Future Homes Standard are welcome, they are merely the foundation, rather than a ceiling. The FHS identifi es some key renewable components but does not provide guidance on how to combine and optimise these different systems together effectively. To unlock its full potential, the industry must adopt a more holistic and integrated approach, whether legislation dictates this or not.
AS SUSTAINABLE AS THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
Specifying more sustainable materials and renewable technologies is a welcome
starting point – but a building is only as sustainable as the sum of all its parts, both inside and out. A higher standard should be used to inform the next iteration of Building Regulations by 2028. Homebuilders looking to make a difference and ‘go beyond’ legislation should be exploring complementary technologies that work in harmony with each other to provide greater sustainability benefi ts. An example is the synergy between integrated in-roof solar photovoltaic systems and air source heat pumps. When specifi ed together for new builds, harnessing solar power could allow homeowners to primarily run heat pumps from this renewable electricity source, signifi cantly reducing reliance on the grid.
Intelligent monitoring and control are key to such integrated builds, managing the system to maximise self-consumption of solar power and further drive down
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Wienerberger.indd 1 20/06/2024 10:43
emissions and energy costs. Such a system could seamlessly divert solar electricity to heat water cylinders during the day for use in the evenings without drawing from the grid. However, renewable technologies can only achieve their full impact if implemented in conjunction with a ‘fabric fi rst’ approach, optimising the entire building envelope. No matter how effi cient the heating system is, a poorly insulated and draughty home will bleed energy and money.
‘Eco-bricks’ assist in this fabric fi rst method. With a slimmer brick profi le, they allow for a 31% reduction in upfront embodied carbon compared to standard bricks, while boosting thermal performance thanks to their ability to accommodate more insulation. Upfront investment into insulation and airtightness pays dividends over decades of lower energy costs.
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