SELFBUILDER SURVEY: BUILDING A GREENER HOME Summer 6


UILDI A REEER HME


How important is sustainability in your project?


INTRODUCTION C


reating a sustainable and low carbon home is the ambition for many self-builders and renovators, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.


The reasons to pursue a sustainable build are plentiful.


In recent years rising energy costs and a better understanding of the consequential health benefi ts have led to more people looking to make their home greener. any homeowners are simply more aware of their carbon footprint and the negative implications of climate change, and feel more impassioned to ‘do their bit’ for the planet. s awareness grows, sustainable features can make homes more valuable to potential future buyers. Government incentives have also encouraged homeowners and self-builders to use renewable technologies such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the now- defunct Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). From 2027, all new builds – including self-builds – will be governed by the Future Homes Standard (FHS) which mandates


that new homes must be “zero-carbon ready” and built with a fabric fi rst approach. Crucially, connection to mains gas will no longer be permitted making alternatives such as heat pumps non-negotiable, and low target U-values will mean high levels of insulation and triple glazing will be required. For many self- builders these types of solutions were on the agenda prior to the Government’s announcement. There are a multitude of ways in which a home’s sustainability can be improved. Increasingly popular choices include renewable technologies such as the aforementioned heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage.


Some use sustainable building materials such as timber, and many already prioritise a fabric fi rst approach, considering elements such as high performance insulation, triple glazed windows, airtightness and ventilation including the use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (H). E charging and even waste water heat recovery (WWHR) – which uses a heat exchanger to


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