Pictured: A Timber Frame New Build

Climate change remains at the forefront of everyone’s minds, impacting everything we do and our decisions, including buying a home. 

But what does it mean to purchase a sustainable home?

A sustainable home starts with the architect and the developer, who decide how the building will be constructed and how it will perform once it is occupied. They have strict guidelines known as building regulations to ensure the building is safe. 

In 2021, the UK government announced significant changes to the building regulations to support its overall net zero 2050 strategy. Under the new rules, CO2 emissions from newly built homes must be around 30% lower than current standards. This comes with a new set of ventilation, energy efficiency, and heating standards. It also states that all new residential buildings must have charging points for electric vehicles.

What makes Roddy New Homes Sustainable? 

Roddy New Homes is driven by providing quality-built homes with an emphasis on low-carbon construction Methods, MMC, low-end user running costs, utilising brownfield sites, and creating a biodiversity Net Gain. 

We want to create stylish homes that our customers can call home, and rest assured that they are reducing their carbon footprint. When we build, we go above and beyond the minimum that the building regulations state. We also adopt the following into our developments where possible:

Eco Features

  • Homes constructed using MMC where possible, such as timber frame 
  • Installation of Solar PV Panels to contribute to the energy consumption of the building. 
  • Fossil fuel-free through the use of air-source heat pumps 
  • Ecological enhancements including bat boxes, bee bricks, and loggeries. 

New builds are more sustainable. 

As a result of the latest changes in building regulations, homeowners can expect a sustainable home when they purchase a new build from Roddy New Homes. Here are some of the key things that make new builds more sustainable than older properties: 

  • New builds can utilise sustainable materials such as timber frames and recycled steel.
  • New builds typically require less maintenance and repairs as they are built to the most up-to-date building standards and use the latest technology.
  • New builds are more energy efficient because they use energy-saving appliances such as light fixtures, washing machines, and water fixings.
  • New builds have excellent insulation properties due to installing the latest insulation materials and double glazing. 
  • Under the latest regulations, new builds must provide a biodiversity net gain of 10%. This means that the development must have a measurably positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity compared to before development. This includes creating and improving natural habitats. 

New Build Energy Savings.

By choosing a new build from Roddy New Homes, homeowners can rest assured that they have invested in an energy-efficient home that will help reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint. 

According to the House Builders Federation (HBF), new-build homebuyers are saving over £400 million a year in energy bills and collectively reducing carbon emissions by over 500,000 tonnes. 

This is because the buildings are constructed according to the latest building regulations, and they can take advantage of the latest advancements in insulation, ventilation, renewable energy, building materials, and so much more. 

The HBF report continues, “The average new build homebuyer saves £135 a month on energy bills, amounting to more than £1,600 a year, compared with purchasers of equivalent older properties. This saving rises to over £180 per month for purchasers of houses, rather than flats or bungalows, totalling £2,200 a year”*

Roddy New Homes is a proud member of the House Builders Federation (HBF). The HBF is the representative body for the home building industry in England & Wales. HBF Members construct in the region of 80% of all new homes built each year.

We are proud to be a part of this organisation and look forward to contributing to the growth and development of our industry.

Are you ready to invest in a sustainable new build from Roddy New Homes?

Check out our latest new build developments in Kent, Surrey and Sussex: 

For more information about Roddy New Homes, get in touch:

W: https://roddynewhomes.co.uk

E: [email protected]   

* https://www.hbf.co.uk/documents/12662/Watt_Energy_Efficiency_New_Homes_finalv2.pdf