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An investigation into recent proposals for a revised definition of zero carbon homes in the UK

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  • McLeod, Robert S.
  • Hopfe, Christina J.
  • Rezgui, Yacine

Abstract

A rapid transition to ‘zero carbon’ building was announced by the UK Government in December 2006 as a key step forward in reducing the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from the domestic and non-domestic sectors. This paper elaborates on whether the revised definition of ‘zero carbon’ dwellings in the UK (2009) and the approach to implementing this policy, advocated by the Zero Carbon Hub (ZCH), is coherent with overarching climate change and energy policies. Further, the paper examines the barriers to adopting higher minimum standards of fabric energy efficiency, in particular the German Passivhaus standard. By comparing methodological differences and outcomes associated with these different energy performance standards, an estimate of the real world energy and carbon savings has been determined. The paper concludes that adopting a more robust ‘fabric first’ approach, would achieve better coherence with UK climate change and energy policies, whilst mitigating the risks associated with carbon offsetting mechanisms.

Suggested Citation

  • McLeod, Robert S. & Hopfe, Christina J. & Rezgui, Yacine, 2012. "An investigation into recent proposals for a revised definition of zero carbon homes in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 25-35.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:46:y:2012:i:c:p:25-35
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2012.02.066
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Collins, Julie, 2007. "Climate Change and Emissions Trading (Power Point)," 2007 Seminar, August 24, 2007, Wellington, New Zealand 97617, New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    2. Schnieders, Jurgen & Hermelink, Andreas, 2006. "CEPHEUS results: measurements and occupants' satisfaction provide evidence for Passive Houses being an option for sustainable building," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 151-171, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Heffernan, Emma & Pan, Wei & Liang, Xi & de Wilde, Pieter, 2015. "Zero carbon homes: Perceptions from the UK construction industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 23-36.
    2. Thao Thi Phuong Bui & Suzanne Wilkinson & Niluka Domingo & Casimir MacGregor, 2021. "Zero Carbon Building Practices in Aotearoa New Zealand," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Balcombe, Paul & Rigby, Dan & Azapagic, Adisa, 2013. "Motivations and barriers associated with adopting microgeneration energy technologies in the UK," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 655-666.
    4. Forde, Joe & Osmani, Mohammed & Morton, Craig, 2021. "An investigation into zero-carbon planning policy for new-build housing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    5. Greenwood, Dan & Congreve, Alina & King, Martin, 2017. "Streamlining or watering down? Assessing the 'smartness' of policy and standards for the promotion of low and zero carbon homes in England 2010–15," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 490-499.
    6. Panagiotidou, Maria & Fuller, Robert J., 2013. "Progress in ZEBs—A review of definitions, policies and construction activity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 196-206.
    7. Huo, Huimin & Xu, Wei & Li, Angui & Wu, Jianlin & Guo, Jianwei, 2023. "A simple evaluation method of external Venetian blind shading performance for nearly zero energy buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    8. Berry, Stephen & Davidson, Kathryn, 2016. "Improving the economics of building energy code change: A review of the inputs and assumptions of economic models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 157-166.
    9. Anis Radzi, 2015. "A survey of expert attitudes on understanding and governing energy autonomy at the local level," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(5), pages 397-405, September.
    10. Niskanen, Johan & Rohracher, Harald, 2022. "A politics of calculation: Negotiating pathways to zero-energy buildings in Sweden," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    11. Quddus Tushar & Guomin Zhang & Satheeskumar Navaratnam & Muhammed A. Bhuiyan & Lei Hou & Filippo Giustozzi, 2023. "A Review of Evaluative Measures of Carbon-Neutral Buildings: The Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-31, October.
    12. Ahmed, Ahmed I. & McLeod, Robert S. & Gustin, Matej, 2021. "Forecasting underheating in dwellings to detect excess winter mortality risks using time series models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    13. Adrian Pitts, 2017. "Passive House and Low Energy Buildings: Barriers and Opportunities for Future Development within UK Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-26, February.
    14. Balcombe, Paul & Rigby, Dan & Azapagic, Adisa, 2014. "Investigating the importance of motivations and barriers related to microgeneration uptake in the UK," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 403-418.
    15. Forde, Joe & Hopfe, Christina J. & McLeod, Robert S. & Evins, Ralph, 2020. "Temporal optimization for affordable and resilient Passivhaus dwellings in the social housing sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).

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