{"id":50092,"date":"2024-08-12T11:29:11","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T10:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=50092"},"modified":"2024-08-12T11:38:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T10:38:35","slug":"government-action-required-new-report-highlights-the-potential-of-net-zero-buildings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/government-action-required-new-report-highlights-the-potential-of-net-zero-buildings\/50092\/","title":{"rendered":"Government action required: New report highlights the potential of net zero buildings"},"content":{"rendered":"
Representing a major opportunity for the sustainable industry, net zero buildings generate energy onsite\u00a0using clean, renewable resources in a quantity equal to or greater than the total amount of energy consumed onsite.<\/p>\n
This couldn\u2019t be more timely, as buildings are the second highest emitting sector in the UK. Yet there has been a lack of effective and consistent policy conducive to decarbonising at the scale and pace required.<\/p>\n
The industry has collaborated to produce the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, the industry cannot do this alone\u2014as the CCC highlighted, the government needs to be more ambitious to drive action forward.<\/p>\n The report shows we have successfully weaned ourselves off coal, and now the focus on oil and gas is bringing buildings to the forefront of discussion. The report confirms the next three carbon budgets will place greater emphasis on net zero buildings, with emissions reductions in buildings needing to triple by 2030.<\/p>\n The CCC\u2019s recommendations for achieving this include:<\/p>\n One of the CCC\u2019s key recommendations is to make electricity cheaper through various mechanisms, thereby improving the return on investment for installing heat pumps<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another is the relaxation of planning restrictions to enable heat pumps to be installed within 1m of the property boundary, which will also expand the potential market for heat pumps.<\/p>\n Reversing recent policy rollbacks is also recommended, including exempting 20% of households from the phase-out of fossil fuel boilers by 2035, delaying the oil boiler ban to 2035, and scrapping the 2028 EPC C target for properties.<\/p>\n Due to their critical role in achieving net zero buildings, heat pump technology has been developing in recent years, including improvements in efficiency and design.<\/p>\n Heat pumps work best in well-insulated homes, yet UK homes lose heat up to three times faster than European neighbours<\/a>.<\/p>\n There has been a significant increase in the number of organisations offering \u2018one-stop-shop\u2019 retrofit models. These models assess building energy performance, support householders with prioritising retrofit measures and connect them with installers and contractors.<\/p>\nElectrified heating<\/h4>\n
Energy efficiency in buildings<\/h4>\n