Developers Urged to Quit Fossil Fuels

With the government setting a UK target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it is no surprise that both businesses and consumers are seeking ways to contribute towards reaching this goal.

Keith Bastian, CEO and founder of Fischer Future Heat, an expert in dynamic heating, explains why housing developers should be putting an end to using fossil fuel heating systems as soon as possible

In order to help achieve this target, the government has also announced a series of further goals such as the Future Homes Standard, due to come into play in 2025, which will require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency

When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases, all of which trap heat in the atmosphere.

Because of this, fossil fuels are the main contributor to global warming, climate change and an increased carbon footprint across both the UK and the globe.

Currently, around 95% of homes have central heating, many of which will rely on gas or oil, and home heating is responsible for around 15% of the UK’s total greenhouse emissions.

To reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, the Future Homes Standard sets out to ensure that all new homes built as of 2025 will have 75-80% less carbon dioxide emissions than homes built to current regulations.

Although this is impressive, and it will make a phenomenal difference, what are we waiting for? Why not start now?

Whilst it may appear that the responsibility lies with heating and energy providers to offer sustainable and cost-effective solutions, and to some extent it does, it is also down to the housing developers to build houses and homes that allow for newer, more sustainable heating systems.

For newer homes, it will be relatively easy and affordable to change old fossil fuel heating systems to something a lot less damaging.

However, for older homes, it can be quite the opposite. Because of traditional fireplaces and other energy escape routes through the fabric of the home, it can be extremely difficult for homeowners to make sustainable changes to their heating systems.  The first step should always be – insulate, insulate, insulate.

With approximately 247,000 houses being built in England and Wales each year, we can’t afford to wait until 2025 to become more eco-conscious.

In today’s world, we are fortunate that eco-conscious consumers are beginning to desire more sustainable homes, so it seems obvious that housing developers should first and foremost be implementing eco-friendly heating systems. This will ensure the properties they are building are not only more desirable, but futureproofed when it comes to buying and selling on the property market.

With the need for sustainable homes on the rise and somewhat of a necessity moving forwards, eco-homes are continuing to prove popular.

Using 50% less energy and 50% less water compared to houses being built to contemporary Building Regulations, housebuilders such as Gusto Homes are continuing to lead the way for sustainable housing. By maximising energy sources such as solar panels, minimising heat-losses from north facing elevations and concentrating on the overall eco-performance and waste-water heat recovery systems, Gusto Homes are transforming the industry and other property developers are slowly starting to follow suit.

With this in mind, housing developers and homeowners alike should aim to install independent heating systems, with the likes of electric German clay heaters.

Eliminating the inefficiencies that come with fossil fuelled heating systems, electric heaters are smart and sustainable room powered radiators that are more efficient for both the environment and people’s pockets.

As well as helping to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, electric heaters provide seasonal comfort. With traditional heating systems, you may struggle to find the perfect balance in room temperatures to suit the time of year, but with electric heaters, you are able to do exactly that.

Electric heaters, combined with renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and the impending introduction of the Future Homes Standard, are a sure-fire way to contribute to the UK’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Why wait until 2025 to introduce such initiatives? Start now and make a real difference. The future is electric.

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