Only 14 per cent of councils have delivered 'gold-standard' energy efficient homes

Article taken from BusinessGreen

New analysis reveals just 43 local authorities have completed homes to Passivhaus standards

Only 14 per cent of local authorities have completed housing projects in line with Passivhaus standards that can slash new homes energy use and carbon emissions.

That is according to a new analysis from ventilation and heat recovery technology specialist Airflow, which confirms that to date just 43 out of the UK's 317 local authorities have delivered projects that are in line with Passivhaus standards.

The report reveals the picture across London is more promising, with 11 out of the 32 boroughs having completed Passivhaus projects. There are also signs Passivhaus standards are proving increasingly popular among social housing groups that are looking to curb energy costs for tenants. 

But across the UK a combination of concerns over higher upfront costs and a lack of expertise in Passivhaus design and construction techniques means very relatively few new homes are being built to the highest environmental standards.

Passivhaus standards result in ultra-efficient homes featuring a range of clean technologies that can slash energy bills to almost zero. The properties tend to increase construction costs by an average of around eight per cent, but they then result in significant cost savings for occupiers.

"Passivhaus is seen as the 'gold standard' for energy-efficient building design and is a reliable way of making sure a building is able to achieve the highest energy savings, comfort, and environmental impact," said Alan Siggins, managing director at Airflow. "It's true that Passivhaus buildings typically have higher upfront construction costs than traditional new builds, however this difference can vary and the cost of projects has reduced over the years.

"Passivhaus Trust, which certifies passive house buildings in the UK, suggests that best practice costs were around eight per cent higher than similar non-Passivhaus projects in 2018. As Passivhaus design becomes more mainstream, we expect the cost to continue decreasing, as the industry gains more experience and the necessary materials and technologies become more widely available."

He added that Passivhaus standards delivered multiple benefits. "Houses designed to Passivhaus standard can offer energy savings of up to 90 per cent and the indoor air quality is improved, so you'll see a significant reduction in running costs and improved comfort and health benefits," he said. "There's also the environmental side of things. Passivhaus buildings have a much lower environmental impact, allowing for more sustainable living and contributing to reducing climate change."

The UK government has previously rejected calls to require new homes to be built to Passivhaus standards, but it is expected to confirm new Future Homes Standards for next year that should improve energy efficiency and effectively ban gas boilers in new homes. It also today announced sweeping planning reforms that will require local authorities to review boundaries for greenbelt land and deliver on new housebuilding targets.

In related news, banking giant Santander this week announced it had joined forces with advisory firm Xynteo, PLP Architecture, and the Accelerating Concrete Decarbonisation Group to launch the Build Ahead UK coalition, which aims to the UK's first truly zero carbon buildings.

The coalition said it was aiming to bring together 'pockets of excellence' across the construction industry value chain to demonstrate how emerging zero carbon materials and designs could deliver a new generation of fully zero carbon buildings.

"We are proud and excited to be founding members of Build Ahead UK," said Fiona Hyde, head of sustainable and responsible banking at Santander. "We want to help our clients and partners to access the network, information, and tools they need to enable sustainable growth. Through Build Ahead UK, we believe we can apply a 'test and learn' model, taking action to push for system-wide decarbonisation and to consider demand and finance as a key enabler."