So the government is expecting all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016? Sounds too good to be true and it probably is! I wonder how many politicians have tried to generate electricity from their own homes or even radically reduce their family’s consumption of water or heating fuel? For those that have, they will know that it is far from being a simple task. As someone who has been watching my own home and family’s lifestyle, energy consumption and carbon footprint for almost 20 years, I know how tall an order it is to get anywhere near ‘low carbon’, let alone ‘zero carbon’ living and sustaining it. Are we trying to run before we can walk? Surely the problems of rampant consumerism need to be addressed first?
Another question that has not yet been asked, during the furore over zero carbon homes, is - what onus will be placed upon the buyers and residents of these low carbon homes to keep to the ‘designed-in’ lifestyle that will be necessary to keep to the label? What will stop people ripping out systems if they cannot get on with them? As we all know, any system is only as good as the operator! Creating instant energy from sunshine, wind and water can be very satisfying but it is not what everyone wants to do. Most people just want to flick a switch and have no further input. From my personal experience, the equipment needs regular inspection and maintenance to keep it running at optimum output.
I hate to say it but I think we will see more hot air rather than less over the next ten years! Just blagging about zero carbon homes will make the punter feel less pressured to examine their lifestyle, consumption and travel patterns (the real environmental problems), thinking that ‘big brother’ has solved it all for them. We are in danger of witnessing a whole new burgeoning industry, producing inappropriate and ill-conceived products, based on the philosophy of profit rather than need. We are already seeing variable quality generation equipment being installed on homes, in often unsuitable locations. Does anyone really believe that the nation will change its mindset to that of pioneering out-backers in less than ten years?
To see if I’m right or wrong I guess we will need to fast-forward to 2016 to see how things actually turn out, but from talking to many of my contacts across the industry I detect very mixed feelings. Certainly few want to be as negative as I, and everyone is hopeful that common sense will prevail, but I’m very worried that the big money is moving in on the green sector, with the usual eye very much on profit at any cost!
To try and get an early insight into what is going on behind the scenes between government and big business, we sent journalist, Kevin Telfer, along to talk to the Home Builders Federation to gauge its keenness regarding the government’s proposition (page 12).
I, for one, would like to know if this new-found courtship may have anything to do with getting easier planning permission for the 200,000 (1) new homes per year that the government say’s we need! Obviously housebuilders will have the new Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) to live up to but they will get at least a few year’s grace before any of it becomes compulsory, unless they are building using public funding through the Housing Corporation (soon to be renamed Communities England), who will require homes to be built to code level 3 by April 2008, with EcoHomes ‘Very Good’ standard remaining until then. That said, with the CSH starting to cause a rethink in the way that housebuilders will have to design and build their homes, we commissioned Nick Gardner to examine some of the existing, new and forthcoming green building standards to see how they compare against, or even compliment, CSH (page 30).
Regarding the other 21 million or so existing homes1, it is interesting to hear that Communities and Local Government (CLG) minister, Angela Smith, has just announced that “the challenge for government and industry is now to work together to push even harder to extend improvements to all other types of buildings”. A point that David Olivier raises in his story, ‘Zero carbon, zero reality?’ (page 18).
Many of you may have attended EcoBuild or the Homes for Good events recently. I’m sorry I was not able to get along as both shows clashed with the production of this edition of BFF, but I hope you went along to the Green Building Bible sponsored ‘natural building’ seminars on the final day. Let us know via our forum
www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk what you thought of the events.
Other stories this issue include a look at the Pines Calyx centre near Dover; the second from a trio of stories about Scottish regional architecture; and of course our ‘insiders’ viewpoints from their representative sectors.
Finally. Don’t get me started on the Low Carbon Buildings Programme fiasco. I’ve got a deadline to meet!
Regards Keith Hall
Ref: 1 www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2097
Discuss this editorial on our forum (you will need to register)
Already a forum member?
