By 2016 all new homes built in the United Kingdom will be zero emission on heating and cooling. The UK Government's 'Code for Sustainable Homes' legislates binding regulations for energy reduction with staggered targets: 25 per cent more efficient by 2010, 44 per cent by 2013, and 100 per cent, or zero emissions by 2016.
Now passed into law, the code sets minimum standards for both energy and water efficiency. In addition, the UK government has agreed that any home achieving a level 6 sustainability rating will be exempt from stamp duty.
"The UK government has made a groundbreaking decision," said Matthew Wright, spokesman for Beyond Zero Emissions. "By 2050, 70 per cent of homes in the UK will be zero emissions. Here is a government with a vision for the future, willing to take rapid and affirmative actions to combat climate change. The Australian government is ignoring their responsibility to safeguard our country."
Companies from the UK and abroad are already building homes compliant with the 2016 code, some with cost increases of only 2 per cent more than similar traditionally built homes. Stuart Milne runs the largest housing company in Scotland, and is offering for sale a zero emissions home available off plan. He has released a house autonomously warmed and cooled with the assistance of a substance called Energain. Installed on the interior walls and ceilings of the home, coated panels absorb and release heat depending on the temperature, reducing any need for energy intensive air conditioning or heating.
"These are homes that need no heating whatsoever, even through extreme UK winters," said Mr. Wright. "Using intelligent and natural design, homes are prefabricated with insulation, economically creating a more comfortable and livable environment. The increase in cost is marginal, which is comprehensively offset through massive savings in energy bills."
A home constructed by the company Osborne has virtually no energy consumption requirements. The house contains a mechanical heat recovery system which removes moist, stale air from rooms and passes it over cool, fresh air from outside to regulate constant comfortable air temperatures.
"With the addition of solar panels and wind turbines, homes in the near future will be entirely self-sufficient, generating electricity on-site," said Mr. Wright. "Australians now need to put pressure on our federal government to adopt these simple conservative measures in line with what one of the leading economies in the world is doing. As a country, and as a planet, we need to become zero emissions across all sectors as soon as possible."
The latest report from the CSIRO (commissioned by the Victorian Government) warns of blackouts by 2030 caused by increased use of air conditioning and climate-related infrastructure failure. If all houses by 2016 are built to zero emission standards, not requiring air conditioning, then this will lessen the effects of more severe weather that is forecast from human-forced global warming.
The latest eco-houses - and why they'll need no heating at all
Government code for sustainable homes.
Government move gets off to better start than it might have hoped.
UK's first 5-star near zero carbon houses
Kingspan leads the way in sustainable homes
NHER National Home Energy Rating Scheme (UK)
Wikipedia - Zero Energy Building around the world.
Herald Sun: Billion people displaced within 40 years from climate change
CSIRO says 2030 weather will cause havoc - need to reduce peak power
Beyond Zero Emissions Media Releases
For comment ring:
Matt Wright 0421 616 733
www.beyondzeroemissions.org
Beyond Zero Emissions is an independent Zero Emission Minus Climate
Change campaign.
See Victoria's open cut mines from a birds eye view using Google Earth.
Use Google Earth Victoria's Open Cut Coal Mines
Get Google Earth
