Rigorous Energy Standards for New Homes

The Housing Minister, Chris Pincher, announced on 19 January that all homes and businesses must meet rigorous new energy efficiency standards to lower energy consumption and bills to help to protect the environment by 2025.

There has been much press coverage about Government targets to lower carbon emissions over the next few decades and it is welcome by many that the Government is now pressing full speed ahead with introducing such rigorous targets.

Many modular contractors will welcome this news. For a long time, industry insiders have been touting modular construction as more energy efficient than traditional housebuilding.

Many modular construction companies are adopting an environmental approach throughout all of their processes. Lowering the environmental impact of prefabricated builds and reducing their overall waste consumption is an integral element to modular construction. The energy poured into the assembly process is only a small part compared to the energy used on site.

Whilst modular construction is now regarded as more energy efficient than traditional housebuilding, there is still a long way to go for modular contractors to make a significant mark in the housebuilding industry. To be successful in housebuilding, more than just energy efficiency is needed. Traditional housebuilders have huge expertise in building long-lasting and viable schemes at scale and have the skills and expertise to tackle complicated legal and practical issues required with the delivery of any scheme.

 Whilst modular contractors will over time gain experience in these other areas, traditional housebuilders will also take huge steps to increase their energy efficiency. We anticipate this push to greener methods will lead to traditional housebuilders and modular contractors to look for greater opportunities to work and collaborate together. Whilst both need to adhere to these new energy targets, we must not lose sight of the main aim which is to significantly increase housing supply. To achieve this in an energy efficient way, industry experts will need to learn from each other’s expertise to continue to deliver quality, and energy efficient, new homes together