Tag: Renewable Energy

Categories
Guidance Paper Report

Domestic Energy Solutions Primer – Energy storage

As part of our Build Net Zero Now campaign (Phase 2) Energy working group we are pleased to launch the 2nd part of a guide to domestic energy solutions. We would like to thank lead author Andrew Jeffryes, and Chris Brierley from Active Building Centre/Energy Systems Catapult for supporting this work.

The ‘primer’ covers energy storage solutions and follows a first guide published in 2023 on energy generation, transformation and distribution.

DOWNLOAD ENERGY STORAGE PRIMER

The guide builds upon our 3-part ‘Energy Solutions for Net Zero Housing Development’ series co-hosted with The Green Register in June-July 2023, which featured speakers from Herschel, Allume Energy, Joju Solar, SNRG and CEPRO.

As part of phase 3 of our BNZN campaign we will build upon the expert content presented in our guide and event series, and will continue to showcase, and interrogate the viability and performance of, emerging energy solutions through in-person site visits, demonstrations, dissemination of research findings, and case studies. If you are interested in supporting the campaign, please get in touch.

With thanks to our Energy working group participants for supporting this work:

Active Building Centre, Basingstoke Council, BCP Council, Bioregional, CEPRO, Greencore Construction, Oxford City Council, PureHaus, Sero, SNRG, South West Net Zero Hub, Southampton Council, Traxis, Vertigo (Mike Roberts, WG chair) and Verto Homes.

About Build Net Zero Now

The Good Homes Alliance Build Net Zero Now campaign aims to empower progressive Local Authorities, Housing Associations and housebuilders, and their supply chains, by providing them with the knowledge and tools to deliver net zero housing.

Following a year-long series of topical events and targeted outputs, including new and freely available net zero case studies and design briefs, phase one of the campaign concluded at the GHA Build Net Zero Now Conference in October 2021. 

A series of working groups and targeted outputs concluded phase two of the campaign in Autumn 2023, with phase three of the campaign continuing into 2024-25.

The campaign outputs have proved vital for the 30+ members of our fast-growing LA Vanguard and HA Pathfinder networks from across the UK, who collectively represent 350,000 existing homes and 120,000 new build homes to be developed in the next 10 years.

Phase 2 lead campaign sponsors:

Phase 2 Energy WG theme sponsor:

The contents of this guide are for information purposes and provide general guidance only. The subject matter covered in this guidance is not exhaustive. Relevant standards and approved documents should be fully consulted.

© Good Homes Alliance (GHA) 2024. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the GHA.

Categories
Video

GHA at Futurebuild 2023

Tuesday 7th  March, 10:30-11:15, Energy Stage – Net Zero Energy and New Housing Development

From 2025, gas heating will be banned in newly built homes. This much needed move away from fossil fuels will see demand on the electricity grid increase dramatically in the coming years, as we transition to heat pumps, solar PV, batteries and electric vehicle charging. Join us to hear from forward-thinking developers and local authorities who are proactively tackling the issues. Plus hear from solution providers who are providing smart technologies and ‘microgrids’ to help balance energy demand and loads across new housing development.

Speakers:

  • Chair – Mike Roberts, Vice-Chair, Good Homes Alliance 
  • Ian Pritchett, Co-Founder, Growth & Innovation Director, Greencore Construction 
  • Neal Coady, Head of Product, SNRG
  • Debbie Haynes, Carbon Reduction & Sustainability Manager, OX Place
  • Speaker TBC, Glen Dimplex

Wednesday 8th March, 13:30-14:15, Buildings Stage – Minimising and mitigating overheating risk in homes

UK homes are increasingly at risk of overheating, which can lead to uncomfortable indoor environments for homeowners and residents. Overheating can be caused by poor housing design, uncontrolled solar gain, inadequate shading, and insufficient summer ventilation. Contextual factors such as external noise and security concerns can also restrict opportunities for natural ventilation. Hear from industry experts on the assessment tools, best practice design approaches and solutions available to minimise and mitigate overheating risk in homes.

Speakers:

  • Chair – Lynne Sullivan OBE, Chair, Good Homes Alliance
  • Julie Godefroy, Sustainability Consultant, Julie Godefroy Sustainability
  • Susie Diamond, Partner, Inkling
  • Tom Dollard, Partner – Sustainability and Innovation, Pollard Thomas Edwards
  • Rajat Gupta, Director, Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD) and Low Carbon Building Research Group, Oxford Brookes University

Wednesday 8th March, 15:30-16:15, Buildings Stage – Using monitoring to understand net zero homes

By the middle of this century the world has to reduce emissions to as close to zero as possible. This pursuit to Net Zero requires the UK to virtually eliminate emissions from the built environment and with ~28m homes currently contributing 18% of all carbon emissions, the UK has a big challenge ahead.

With challenge comes opportunity. This seminar session, delivered by the Building Performance Network, will demonstrate how taking a systems, not piecemeal, approach to building performance evaluation will help to really understand net zero homes. Using data will truly enable you to set meaningful targets and implement robust strategies for energy efficiency in homes, both old and new.

  • Intro from chair – Kerry Mashford OBE, Interfacing Ltd
  • Data Driven Decarbonisation: get the fundamentals right – Ahsan Khan, Trustmark
  • Using data to understand systems – Hermione Crease,  Purrmetrix
  • Q&A
Categories
Guidance

Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide

LETI’s Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide shows how we can retrofit our homes to make them fit for the future and support the UK’s Net Zero targets.  We define energy use targets for existing homes and provide practical guidance on how to achieve them.  

The guide is useful for architects, engineers, Local Authorities, social landlords, energy professionals, contractors and clients looking for guidance about best practice retrofit.

It is widely accepted that retrofitting our existing buildings is absolutely critical if we are to achieve Net Zero.  Around 18% of our annual national CO2e emissions come from existing homes – homes that will still be standing in 2050. 80% of 2050’s homes have already been built.  It is also widely acknowledged that the retrofit challenge is monumental.  Over one million homes every year for the next 30 years will need to be retrofitted.  We cannot afford to retrofit them twice.  But if we retrofit them well, we can enjoy many environmental, social and economic benefits.

This guide sets out what good retrofit looks like for existing homes.   We target energy consumption reductions of 60-80% for the average UK home.  This is achievable through a whole house approach upgrading the building fabric, incorporating energy efficiency measures, improving ventilation and fitting heat pumps. These targets have been determined through practical experience and understanding of what measures are realistically achievable.  They are also informed by a national housing stock model to examine issues such as renewable energy provision and grid capacity. The guide also points out the potential risks of poor retrofit and advises on how to deliver efficient, resilient and healthy homes. 

DOWNLOAD

Quick start guide

The guide provides a quickstart guide to retrofit as well as typical house archetype examples for four primary housing types: semi-detached, detached, mid-terrace and a flat.  Click on the pages below for the quickstart guide and typical house archetype examples.

DOWNLOAD

Author: LETI

Publication date: October 2021

Categories
Report

Electricity Storage: Pathways to a Net Zero Future

The Electricity Storage Network has released a report outlining the role storage can play in tackling the climate emergency. As the UK looks to a green recovery from the pandemic, the paper calls for a clear signal from government to set a trajectory for storage over the next decade which will help create jobs and economic growth while enabling the electricity system to become zero carbon.

The paper has been built from a broad evidence base, building on our extensive engagement with ESN members and wider industry, government, Ofgem and National Grid ESO. Regen has written two previous major reports on storage in 2016 and 2017 and this paper builds on those findings, aiming to give an overview of storage and its uses, a snapshot of where the industry has got to in 2020, and what needs to change if we’re to face up to the climate emergency over the next decade.

The paper outlines six key recommendations for government and industry to ensure we build a sustainable industry that allows storage to deploy at the scale needed to support the UK’s transition to net zero.

DOWNLOAD

Author: Regen

Publication date: June 2020

Categories
Tool

Hotmaps

The overarching goal of Hotmaps is the development of an open source heating/cooling mapping and planning toolbox and to provide default data for EU28 at national and local level. These data and tool allow public authorities to identify, analyse, model and map resources and solutions to supply energy needs within their territory of responsibility in a resource and cost efficient way. Those results will help authorities to develop heating and cooling strategies on local, regional and national scale which are in line with RES and CO2-Emission targets on national and EU level.

www.hotmaps-project.eu

Categories
Video

Delivering Net Zero Homes: Tutorial 1 Design

Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.

If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.

Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.

If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.

Categories
Paper

Decarbonisation of heat

This paper proposes that whilst the exact pathway to decarbonising heat in the UK is not yet clear, there are a range of actions that could be taken in the next ten years to shift heat onto the right route to meet our 2050 net zero obligation. We already possess many of the skills and technologies required, but there are a number of significant barriers preventing a spontaneous movement towards low carbon heat on the scale required – a starting impulse is needed.

Energy efficiency and low carbon heating have the potential to radically improve the quality of life of not just the poorest in our society but all residents of the United Kingdom. With the right approach, the decarbonisation of heat can improve health outcomes for millions, create new jobs in manufacturing and construction, reduce air pollution in our cities and reduce the burden on our health service. This, in addition to leading the world in mitigating the climate emergency.

DOWNLOAD

Author: REGEN

Publication date: March 2020

Categories
Guidance

Climate Emergency Design Guide

We are in a climate emergency, and urgently need to reduce carbon emissions, this guide outlines the requirements of new buildings to ensure our climate change targets are met – setting out a definitive journey, beyond climate emergency declarations, into a net zero carbon future. It is specifically aimed towards developers/landowners, designers, policy makers, and the supply chain. It aims to help to define ‘good’ and to set clear and achievable targets.

The Climate Emergency Design Guide covers 5 key areas: operational energy, embodied carbon, the future of heat, demand response and data disclosure. Our methodology includes setting the requirements of four key building archetypes (small scale residential, medium/large scale residential, commercial offices, and schools). The guide was developed by over 100 LETI volunteers over a period of 12 months.

This guidance demonstrates that the building industry knows how we should be designing buildings. In 2020 buildings that adopt these requirements now will be seen as leaders. By 2025 these requirements must become standard design practice otherwise the building industry will not meet our collective responsibility in this climate crisis.

​LETI believe that in order to meet our climate change targets, in 2020 10% of all new projects developers and designers are involved in, should be designed to meet the requirements set out in this guide.

DOWNLOAD

Author: LETI

Publication date: January 2020

Categories
Paper

Climate Change Policy Position

The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) brings together directors from county, unitary, metropolitan and combined authorities, along with local enterprise partnerships, sub-national transport bodies and corporate partners drawn from key service sectors. They look after your roads and transport, your environment, your local economy and wellbeing, alongside future plans for your area.

Author: ADEPT

Publication date: June 2019

DOWNLOAD