It would be great if we could all live in an eco-home. A home that is so well designed and insulated that it hardly takes any energy to heat it and what it does need comes from the photovoltaic cell, solar water heating or wind turbine on the roof. There would be no high water bills as the rain is collected from the roof guttering to feed the toilet and grey water from the bath collected to water the garden. A home that is bright and airy, with space to work from home, free from the toxins and radicals you get from MDF, PVC, chemical paints, synthetic flooring and glues. This home would be situated close to local services, with schools, shops and health services on its doorstep and a regular bus and train service. This might sound like fantasyland to you but the description above contains many of the ingredients that make up the eco-homes assessment and will guide the design and building of the next generation of social housing. Since April 2006 social landlords receiving Housing Corporation grant have to build to an eco-homes assessment of ‘very good’, with many local authorities insisting upon an ‘excellent’ category for new homes in their planning agreements.

The future, how can we ensure that it is ‘green’?
The challenge ahead for social landlords is both financial and cultural. Their new built homes may incorporate environmental features but what about their existing stock of housing? This is where individual residents and resident led groups have a role to play; to work in partnership with your landlords and encourage them to environmentally upgrade their homes as part of their refurbishment and continual maintenance programmes. To invest in renewable energy heating and water recycling systems and to consistently upgrade insulation and energy efficiency as part of their routine maintenance plans. Only by working together, highlighting areas of fuel poverty and waste resources, raising awareness among residents and leading by example can these changes be made.

Did you know???

• Households account for 27% of the CO2 emissions in the UK.

• 45% of the world’s energy is used to heat and light our buildings.

• Natural forest is being lost at nearly 30 hectares every minute.

• Housing construction consume nearly 55% of the timber used in the UK.

• In the UK the average household consumes 150 litres of water per day.

• 30 to 40% of a household’s water is used to flush the toilet.

• On average each new home takes 50 tonnes of aggregates to build.

• At present only 17% of aggregates used in construction are made up of recycled or secondary materials.

(Data from: WWF-UK One Million Sustainable Homes Campaign)

Follow the link to read some case studies

Follow the link for some fun and games links for children

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This page was last updated on 09 August 2006