"While the Future Homes Standard goes some way to dealing with the climate change crisis we’re in the midst of, more still needs to be done"
- Chris Saddler - Kimble Solar
With the Future Homes Standard deadline approaching, now is the perfect time to embrace sustainable energy solutions for all future developments. While the scheme mainly focuses on heating, including the potential banning of gas boilers (currently under review), it also highlights the importance of solar PV.
Developers have a golden opportunity to benefit both the planet and their projects by installing solar PV. This move allows them to market their properties as eco-efficient, create long-term cost savings, and significantly reduce carbon emissions. They can also share the cost savings buyers or tenants can expect on their energy bills and quantify the potential to sell surplus energy back to the grid.
When selecting new build sites, developers should consider areas where funding or grants are available to support eco-friendly developments. For example, regions like Heathrow or the HS2 corridor have been known for making grants available for eco projects.
If you're planning to install solar panels, the orientation of your property's roof is crucial. While south-facing roofs are ideal for maximising generation, especially in winter, placing panels on both east and west-facing roofs can deliver energy more consistently throughout the day, reducing the need for a large battery. However, above all, shading must be avoided as it significantly reduces the effectiveness of solar PV.
For domestic properties, installing a battery can help store unused solar energy. The battery will hold any extra surplus power generated and have it ready on standby for when you need it. This helps smooth out energy delivery on those intermittent sunny days and is perfect when a home or building is busy in the evening once the sun has set.
However, it’s also worth noting that you can be paid to sell unused energy back to the grid offering yet more cost savings to purchasers or tenants.
Before committing to a build, if solar is your chosen eco-energy generation method of choice, it’s worth speaking to a local company and asking them their thoughts on your plans so you can build renewable energy in from day one. You can also see how solar might perform with a heat pump for example.
While solar has been around for some time, the technology is still developing. The advancements in data managing devices like smart meters has equipped developers with the tools to see exactly what energy is being used in buildings. This can be incredibly helpful if you’re looking to change the use of a property from a multi-room home to a series of apartments or an HMO for example. Knowledge, when it comes to renewable energy solutions, really is power.
While the Future Homes Standard goes some way to dealing with the climate change crisis we’re in the midst of, more still needs to be done.
Right now, developers are having to make changes to future builds with no financial incentive, and it’s purely down to what they’re being told they must achieve. The worry this can bring is that what should be a positive change to the future of developments and to protect the planet from future climate change, becomes a negative.
While renewable energy will undoubtedly provide financial gain to those who end up residing in the property, the developer's initial outlays will be larger with little to no return.
A shift in mindset is therefore essential. Climate change is a collective responsibility. By showcasing the real-time benefits of renewable energy solutions, developers can see the value in their efforts. They’re helping the planet and contributing to a sustainable future for themselves and their families.
A small-to-medium-sized solar PV system for a typical residential dwelling is 4kWp, which saves around 1 tonne of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year. A small new build site of 10 homes would therefore offset 10 tonnes of carbon every single year.
Over the typical 25-year warrantied lifetime of the system, this site of ten new homes, each with a 4kWp solar panel system, could save a quarter of a million tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere. That’s the equivalent of planting 1,850 trees which would reforest around 2 hectares. On that basis, this theoretically means that the area of land being developed would reforest an area 5 times greater its size.
To truly make a difference, it’s vital to make renewable energy options available at competitive costs and highlight their value to purchasers and tenants. However, it’s unlikely developers will willingly sacrifice profits for the planet’s sake. Therefore, government intervention with rules, regulations, grants, and incentives is necessary.
By adopting these sustainable practices and shifting perspectives, developers can lead the way in creating eco-friendly, energy-efficient homes that benefit both the environment and future generations.
