Climate change and sustainability remain at the forefront of many people’s minds, impacting much of what we do, how we live and the decisions we make, including buying a home. 

So what does it mean to purchase a sustainable home, and how sustainable are new builds?

A sustainable home starts with the architect and the developer deciding 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 building regulations to support its Net Zero Strategy, which aims for a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. 

Under the new rules, CO2 emissions from newly built homes must be around 30% lower than current standards, and must adhere to a new set of ventilation, energy efficiency and heating standards. They also state that all new residential buildings must have charging points for electric vehicles.

What makes Roddy New Homes even more sustainable?

At Roddy New Homes, we create thoughtfully-designed houses with minimal carbon footprints that our customers love to call home. 

We’re committed to providing top-quality homes that utilise brownfield sites, with an emphasis on low-carbon and/or modern methods of construction (MMC), low end-user running costs and the creation of a biodiversity net gain (BNG), which means we create and/or improve natural habitats at our developments to ensure a positive impact on local biodiversity.

And when we build, we go above and beyond the minimum that the building regulations state by also including the following in our developments (wherever possible):

  • timber frames, for faster construction times, energy efficiency, design flexibility, sustainability and durability
  • solar PV panels to contribute to energy production and reduce utility bills 
  • air source heat pumps to eliminate the use of fossil fuels
  • ecological enhancements like bat boxes and bee bricks

New builds are more sustainable. 

In addition to the extras mentioned above, all new builds offer a variety of sustainable advantages over old properties too, such as:

  • utilising sustainable materials such as timber frames and recycled steel
  • typically requiring less maintenance and fewer repairs as they are built to the most up-to-date building standards and use the latest technology
  • being more energy efficient because they include energy-saving features like LED lights, energy-efficient appliances and double glazing
  • using the latest materials to ensure excellent insulation, reducing heating costs

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 for years to come.

Contact our friendly team for more information on our developments.