Zero Carbon Homes

Carbon Neutral Properties

Homes make a large contribution to the energy consumption of any country.  In the UK, it is estimated that approximately 28% of CO2 emissions are from water heating, space heating, cooking, lighting and the operation of appliances and equipment.  In fact, one third of primary energy worldwide is consumed in homes, offices, schools and hospitals. 

This very high percentage of energy consumption in homes and other institutions compels everyone to look for energy saving means and ways in consideration of the present threats of global warming and the decreasing fossil fuel resources.  The carbon emissions from green house gases and the continuous burning of fossil fuels are the main reasons for climate change. Climate change is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. And what better place to start with than our homes.  And one of the most effective and perhaps, fastest ways to cut these emissions of carbon dioxide is to eliminate emissions that come from houses.

What does a zero carbon home mean?  Basically, a zero carbon home is a house that doesn't use fossil fuels to provide heat or power.  It is a home that produces zero or negative carbon dioxide emissions by making the most of renewable energy and energy efficient materials and one that brings back to the National Grid (one of the largest investor-owned international electricity and gas company in the world) as much energy as it consumes in the course of one year.   

The creation of a zero carbon home starts with the design process itself.  Note that it is cheaper to build a zero carbon home from scratch than attempting to convert a traditional home into a truly green and energy-efficient one.  But it is still expensive compared to building normal homes.  The approximate building cost of a simple, modest sized zero carbon home would be around £120,000 to £140,000 while a traditional house of the same size would cost about £80,000 to £90,000.  That's only cost of building materials and still excluding the lot cost and developer's profits.  It would get more affordable if more are built over time and if there would be more building contractors and architects adopting this greener method.

In the Building a Greener Future report last July 2007, it recommends action for the government, manufacturers, households and the European Commission to cut carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas.  It states that new homes with zero emissions should be built after taking into account the following:

Right now, there are problems achieving this because of the high cost of building such homes.  The materials needed to build zero carbon homes are not cheap.  The solar panels, mini wind turbines, solar collectors, photo voltaic panels and a wood pellet burner for generating energy are just some of the materials and equipment needed to make a house truly energy-efficient. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal are essential to reduce the carbon footprint of homes and similar institutions.  Solar energy can be confined using solar panels.  Wind turbines can be employed to produce electricity for larger buildings or even supply energy to a group of residential properties.   We haven't even covered the all important insulation for walls and roof to keep that valuable energy in.  The windows need to be glazed three times and build geothermal heating system to utilize the heat from the ground.  Water is also crucial to maintain a zero carbon home.  Every green home should have a rain water collecting tank for use during washing of clothes and toileting.

To make the above more affordable to the mass market, developers would have to buy into the method.  Although some builders and architects have been building eco-homes in the UK but only the higher end market has been fortunate to sample a taste of the green lifestyle.  For now, what architects and builders can do to lessen carbon emissions is to make sure that the lighting, heating and cooling systems of the homes and buildings they build are working efficiently.  Existing homes can do the following less expensive ways to get nearer to the dream of living in zero carbon homes:

The above suggestions will not make most existing houses zero carbon, but it could reduce their carbon emissions tremendously.  It's better than doing nothing at all.  But by 2016 it will be mandatory for all new build houses to meet Zero Carbon Standards according to Gordon Brown.   The greening of homes and similar establishments is important so people may use less energy.  This is especially beneficial in the long run as energy-efficient homes or zero carbon homes would cut energy bills for households and businesses.  Thus, the financial benefits of using less energy are clear.  Building a zero carbon home can save you money on fuel bills in the future. 

These range of technologies and building techniques could transform the building industry not only in the UK but also worldwide and provide pioneering builders, architects and engineers with a competitive advantage as governments from all over the world develop laws that would reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuel dependency.  At present, zero carbon houses remain the houses of the future but we are getting there.

 

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