Zero Carbon Homes getting cheaper to build

Following up its findings on the Zero Carbon Standard in 2011, the latest analysis provides an updated snapshot of the costs associated with meeting the current proposals for the minimum Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES), Carbon Compliance and Allowable Solutions for Zero Carbon detached, semi-detached and mid-terraced housing, and for low-rise apartment blocks.

The estimated costs of meeting the Zero Carbon Standard for homes have reduced consistently since first estimated in 2006/7 when costs were as high as £15,000-40,000 per home.

This is in part due to changes in the definition itself, for example, the introduction of Allowable Solutions and the exclusion of any requirement to address carbon emissions from unregulated energy uses. However, a significant influence on the lower cost estimates is the continuing reductions in the cost of key technologies. The most high profile and significant example is the cost of PV, however other technologies such as ASHPs and higher performance glazing have also reduced in cost.

Key findings of the Sweett report include:

o  a continuing reduction in the cost of meeting the Zero Carbon Standard for homes, with particular reductions seen in the cost estimate for solar PV, air tightness and thermal bridging components.

o  cost allowances considered to be reasonable for achieving the proposed standard for detached homes is £6,700-7,500; semi-detached and mid-terraced properties is £3,700-4,700; apartments (low-rise) is £2,200-2,400

o   the relative costs of meeting the Standard for each house type is likely to reduce further between 2014 and 2016 and continue to fall through to 2020.

Commenting on the findings in the report, Rob Pannell, MD of the Zero Carbon Hub, says:

“What the new analysis shows is that, in many of the scenarios considered, the cost of building to the proposed Zero Carbon Standard has roughly halved since we last published cost estimates in 2011.

“At today’s prices, the typical additional cost of building a semi-detached hous to the Zero Carbon Standard could be less than £5000.

“Building the high quality, highly efficient, low carbon homes of the future comes at a cost. Accepting this, one of the Hub’s next tasks on the journey to zero carbon must be to support industry in demonstrating the value of such homes to their customers.”