Green features of new homes A to Z

Most new homes are now built in an environmentally conscious way, with many features being mandatory or recommended by the UK government. Here we explain what these green features mean, and how they help with sustainability.

Air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps extract the warmth from outside air, even when temperatures are very cold, and transfer it back into the home, where it is compressed to increase the temperature. These pumps run on electricity, so prevent the need for a gas line to be connected.

Bat and bird boxes

Many developers are now incorporating bat and bird boxes into the structure of new homes. They can be seen as small letterbox shaped slits in the side of buildings, and are often a different colour to the brickwork. These integrated boxes are completely enclosed meaning the animals can’t get into your property, and are a long-lasting solution to encourage wildlife into your garden, whilst remaining in-keeping with their surroundings.

EV chargers

With the government’s commitment to phasing out the sale of diesel and petrol cars, many vehicle owners are making the switch to all-electric cars now. It is now a requirement for all new homes with car parking, to have electric car Charging capabilities for each residence. The law states: A new residential building with associated parking must have access to an electric vehicle charge point.

The number of chargers available will vary depending on how many car park spaces there are, how many residences share the parking space, and other factors. When buying a home it’s best to check with the developer if the charging capabilities are simply the cabling or a fully installed charger.

Ground source heat pumps

In winter, ground source heat pumps extract the heat from the ground using a series of pipes, which passes back into the house to warm it. In the summer, the process is reversed by removing warm air from the property and transferred back into the ground to cool the building. As with air source heat pumps, they run on electricity so there is no need to install a gas line to the home.

Heat recovery ventilation

This system recovers heat from the stale, outgoing air and passes it back into the fresh air coming into the home. The process aims to reduce heat loss from homes.

Hedgehog highways

Hedgehog numbers have seen a sharp decline in recent years, and so developers must now provide small gaps (13cm x 13cm) in fences to allow them to move easily through gardens. An online petition in 2019 encouraged the government to add this requirement into planning guidelines.

Insulation

New homes are usually built with a minimum level of insulation as required by modern building standards. This means that new homes are far more energy efficient than older homes. Some builders also add additional levels of insulation, particularly if the homes are built to certain green standards.

Low carbon homes

Homes that are considered low carbon aim to significantly reduce the amount of emissions generated from heating and operating a home. The exact measurement of low carbon varies, but is generally considered to be those that have multiple methods of green features - for instance solar panels, heat pumps and extra insulation.

Low energy lighting

LED light fittings and bulbs are examples of low energy lighting, and can be up to 80% more energy efficient than traditional bulbs. Most new homes come with low energy fixtures.

Passivhaus

Passivhaus is an energy performance standard for homes, used all over the world, which aims to use less energy for heating and cooling. It's an approach focused on quality building techniques, airtightness, insulation, and ventilation with heat recovery. It is also known as "Passive House".

Smart meters

The majority of energy companies now provide smart meters for easy monitoring of energy use. These meters not only show the homeowner how much energy they use via a small device displayed inside the home, so adjustments can be made to save money, but they also send the meter readings to the energy companies automatically. The government guidelines state that homes should be sold with smart meters already installed.

Smart thermostats

Thermostats can now offer internet-enabled, app-based heating management, as well as many hands-off optimisation features to help save money. Some stats learn when you’re at home, and what your heating patterns are. You can install smart stats on radiators too, for ultimate control room-by-room.

Buying a new home with a smart thermostat already installed makes saving on energy bills possible from the minute you move into your new home. Some estimates show that smart thermostats can save 10-15% of energy costs per year, compared to manual ones.

Solar energy battery storage

Solar power batteries allow the energy generated via the PV panels to be stored for use during the night, the winter and low-light days. When a battery is full the energy can be sold back to the grid, making them an extremely worthwhile addition to a solar (PV) panel system.

Solar panels

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, are devices that convert sunlight into electricity. They are composed of numerous solar cells. When sunlight strikes these cells, it creates an electric current.

This direct current (DC) is then converted to alternating current (AC) via an inverter, making it suitable for use in homes.They offer a renewable and sustainable energy source, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Triple glazing

Everyone’s heard of double glazing - but triple glazing is the new standard for true energy efficiency. To prevent warmth escaping through windows, triple glazing offers an additional layer of protection from the elements outside. They also help with noise reduction from traffic, wind and rain.

An added benefit of triple glazing is prevention of external heat making its way into your home during summer months, preventing overheating.

Water saving taps and toilets

Taps with sensors help reduce water usage by only turning on when it detects hands in front of the sensor, and turning off automatically when the hands are moved away.

Most modern toilets already use less water than their older counterparts. There are also specific water saving toilets that have variable flush settings, and gravity or power flushes.

Zero carbon homes

A zero carbon home is a property that does not contribute to an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. There are several ways in which a home may be considered zero carbon, including producing its own renewable energy, using energy from other renewable sources outside of the home, and reducing the amount of carbon that enters the atmosphere.

These measures can be achieved using a combination of methods, such as air source heat pumps, solar panels (photovoltaic panels), and insulation.