Passivhaus- Making homes better for the climate, your wallet and health
"The housing crisis in the UK is due to a shortage of homes, but if we continue to build homes in the way we do at present then there will be a second housing crisis: a disastrous legacy spanning many decades of higher bills, poorer health, and missed climate change targets", writes Dr Bruce Tofield from the Adapt Low Carbon Group at the University of East Anglia in a recent article for The Conversation.
"The average domestic fuel bill in the UK in 2012 was nearly £1,300 a year, £800 for gas and £479 for electricity. These prices have doubled in real terms in the past decade due to rises in the price of gas.
Rising energy costs hit the less affluent especially hard. The UK has the highest rate of fuel poverty, and among the highest rate of excess winter deaths in western Europe. The principal cause of this is the poor energy efficiency of Britain’s housing stock".
Dr Tofield recommends the Passivhaus standard and the EnerPHit standard to address the UK's current housing crisis. Citing the example of the Wimbish Passivhaus scheme he says: "The residents of new Passivhaus homes built at Wimbish in Essex found their gas bills reduced by almost 90% compared to the UK average, and enjoyed excellent internal air quality and comfortable temperatures year round. In contrast to the unhappy trend for many new homes in the UK that fail to provide adequate space inside or outside the home, Passivhaus homes make maximum use of space because there are no radiators on walls or cold draughts near windows."
Read the full article on theconversation.com
12th July 2013
Get involved with the UK Passivhaus community
 |
 |
 |
 |
