Recent findings from a report published that shows how many homes have received the government’s ”zero carbon” certification since its introduction in 2007 reveals that only 31 homes have been built to level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
A home that is fully compliant with code level 6 has on site zero carbon energy sources to power all household appliances including lighting and heating. In comparison to the low numbers of homes at level 6, 29,205 homes have been completed to code level 3. Other research carried out by the communities department suggests a reason for the high figure for code level 3 homes that comply with the 2006 energy requirements in building regulations is that it still costs £39,000 more to complete a house at level 6 where as a code level 3 home costs just £3,460 more than the standard three-bedroom semi.
88% of code level 3 homes have been built by social housing providers which are required to build to code level 3 in order to receive Homes and Communities Agency funding. The government has indicated that it is to revise code 5 to consider the change in the definition of zero carbon and the Zero Carbon Hub’s recommendations. In the March 2011 budget the government announced zero carbon homes would only need to have zero carbon powered lighting and heating as from 2016 compliant with code 5.
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