New-build homes must be ‘green’

Permalink: New-build homes must be ‘green’
by Kay Murchie

House-builders are being made to install more green energy technology into new homes. The Government is to publish new ‘climate change era’ planning guidance that will require homes and commercial buildings to obtain more of their energy requirements from clean and renewable sources such as wind and solar power.

In a concession welcomed by the property industry, Yvette Cooper, Housing Minister, has agreed that house-builders can provide the renewable energy off-site, so that it can be sourced from green supplies such as wind farms rather than using mini turbines or solar panels on-site.

Under the new guidance, the ‘Merton Rules’ will be reformed to make it more straightforward for house-builders to meet targets. The rules were set up by planners at Merton council and mean that local authorities can insist that at least 10% of energy on new developments has to be provided on-site.

Some of the rules have been subject to criticism saying they failed to take into account whether on-site sources were suitable for developments which were not particularly windy or sunny.

In addition, critics claimed they were complicating the planning process making it more expensive and possibly reducing the supply of homes.

Ms Cooper said the rules will not be scrapped but they will be made more flexible. In a letter, she wrote ‘clearly, Merton Rules must be well-founded to ensure they are achieving their ultimate aims of cutting carbon. We believe they should be sufficiently flexible to allow for off-site as well as on-site renewable technologies and councils should also consider wider local low-carbon opportunities’.

Ms Cooper added that the guidance would increase green energy towards the Government’s target for all new properties to be zero-carbon by 2016, with emissions down by a quarter by 2010 and half by 2013.

Ms Cooper continued that the Merton-plus approach will be challenging to councils and developers but it will allow us to move towards a zero-carbon society.