Green Buying Guide

Being green is no longer seen as being slightly cranky, it is acknowledged as making common sense – particularly when it comes to homes. With more than a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions – a major cause of climate change – resulting from the energy we use to heat, light and run our homes, the Government has set the target for all new homes to be carbon neutral by 2016.

It is important not to imagine that a home is environmentally friendly simply because of bolted on items such as solar panels or wind turbines. Such technology has its place but does not stand alone; instead it should be part of a holistic approach bringing together a variety of interrelated solutions. The single most important thing that can be done to cut a home’s energy use, and therefore carbon emissions, is to ensure proper insulation.

Composting facilities, allotments for growing food and cycle stores all contribute to a home’s sustainability, while the use of natural paints and materials have health advantages. Consequently, it is worth remembering that a green home not only helps the planet and cuts fuel bills, but also can provide improved overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Buying a new home

While many developers are choosing to experiment with green initiatives at selected sites, few are doing more than is required under Building Regulations so, if you want to live in a real eco home, it is important to look beyond the glossy brochures to find those who are going the extra mile.

True eco homes are closely connected to their site, society, climate, region and the planet. In other words, it is not just the structure itself which is important, but what goes on in and around it as well as its relationship with the particular environment in which it is built.

With bigger housebuilders in particular, a good way of judging their commitment to eco issues is to look at their corporate responsibility report, environmental policy or green code. The incorporation of renewable energy technology, rainwater harvesting, materials from renewable sources and waste management, as well as attention to the eco-systems and community around developments, are all things to look for.

Housebuilders should be able to supply the SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) rating of individual homes: a figure between 1 (bad) and 100 (good). This is the Government’s recommended system for assessing the energy performance of dwellings based on the annual energy costs for heating the home and hot water.

With the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), or a ‘predicted energy assessment’ for off-plan sales, a clearer understanding of a new home’s energy performance will be possible.

Complementing EPCs are two, currently voluntary, environmental assessment methods for new homes: EcoHomes and the Code for Sustainable Homes. EcoHomes ratings have been around for some time and rate a home as ‘pass’, ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. From April 2007 the Code for Sustainable Homes has replaced EcoHomes for the assessment of new housing in England. The Code has a scoring system of six levels, six being the highest.

To establish these levels the Code looks at design, construction, materials and factors ranging from energy and water efficiency to waste management on site. This not only helps you be sure of reducing your ‘footprint’ on the environment, it also means lower running costs as homes built to the Code standards will have greater energy and water efficiency than others. In addition they will provide a more pleasant and healthy place to live, for example, with more natural light and adaptability for future needs.

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