Zero Carbon

The UK Government has set out an ambitious plan for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016. But what does zero carbon mean?

We all understand the need to become more environmentally responsible in our battle against climate change, and the idea of paying smaller gas and electricity bills is pretty tempting, but what exactly does 'zero carbon' mean?

Zero Carbon Defined:

The Government defines a 'zero carbon' home as one where there are zero emissions from all of the energy you use each year. In simple terms, this means that your home must generate as much energy as it consumes.

So can you make your home zero carbon, or is it only new homes that can be truly environmentally friendly?

It would be extremely difficult, (and costly) to transform an older home and get it anywhere near being zero carbon. This is because older homes tend to be badly insulated, which means it takes a great deal more energy to keep them warm.

However, no matter how old your home, you can still take steps towards becoming more energy efficient. You might not be able to make your home zero carbon, but small steps make a big difference, and you could dramatically reduce your carbon emissions and your expenditure by making a few changes.