An initial Transition Plan for the decarbonisation of new homes has been launched today.
The plan, developed by the Future Homes Hub and the Carbon Trust, draws on the government’s Carbon Budget delivery plans, advice from the Climate Change Committee, previous work by non-government organisations and all existing company-level plans.
Today the new homes sector has set out its initial Transition Plan as a shared pathway and framework for decarbonising new homes consistent with the Government’s carbon budget and housing delivery plans.
The country’s largest housebuilders and a cross-section of SME developers have committed to reducing emissions to contribute to the decarbonisation in line with the Transition Plan, which has been created to provide homebuilders, materials manufacturers and suppliers, contractors, trades, financial institutions, central government and local government with a shared pathway and framework to align around and to work together on overcoming barriers.
By involving homebuilders in its development, the plan also reflects housing growth plans and the opportunities to make new homes more comfortable and cheaper to run as we decarbonise the way we build.
The initial estimate of the baseline emissions from the new homes sector is just under 50 million tonnes per annum in total made up of:
- 39% from the operation of new homes
- 6% from the construction process
- 50% from construction products
- 5% from head office, staff and other emissions
The plan sets out a pathway for reducing those emissions through nine emissions reduction levers:
1. Operational decarbonisation through the Future Homes Standard
2. Smart controls and energy storage
3. Fuel switching and plant decarbonisation
4. Generator/compound energy saving
5. Design for low embodied carbon and alternative materials
6-9. Reduce emissions from concrete, steel, bricks and other materials.
The sector will collaborate to support the delivery of these actions through two bodies administered by the Future Homes Hub:
- The Future Homes Implementation Board, which is co-chaired by MHCLG and Matthew Pratt at Barratt Redrow
- The Embodied Carbon Implementation Board which will bring homebuilders, materials suppliers, Government Departments and other stakeholders together to drive the reduction of embodied carbon.
The Future Homes Hub will also work with the Government’s Net Zero Council, co-chaired by the Government’s energy secretary, to coordinate with decarbonisation in other sectors.
The Future Homes Hub will now develop metrics which companies will on to track progress.
The Future Homes Hub is developing metrics which companies will report on to track progress. In 2026, the plan will be updated to ensure the sector remains on track for net zero as the wider landscape changes.
David Thomas, chair of the Future Homes Hub and chief executive of Barratt Redrow said: “For the UK to transition successfully to clean energy, building a generation of high-quality, comfortable and affordable homes, government and the homebuilding sector need to unite behind one plan.”
“We must commit to collaborate and share lessons from innovation and trials, as well as larger companies helping to create markets for low carbon products at the scale required to bring down cost. The whole new homes supply chain must work with us to play their part in achieving this transition plan.”
John Palmer, deputy director of new build standards and performance for the MHCLG, said: “Reducing embodied carbon in the built environment is essential for achieving net zero targets. The Hub’s excellent work over recent years to make sure the industry understands and is ready for net zero speaks for itself. An industry-wide approach like this can help developers understand and manage embodied carbon, enabling them to make the necessary changes.”
Ryan McLaughlin, director of net zero strategy for DESNZ, said: “Accelerating to net zero will unlock a range of benefits for businesses, including new market opportunities, access to green finance and reduced energy bills. Businesses, in turn, have a vital role to play and that is why sector roadmaps are so important – they help to guide the transition plans of individual companies, provide clear signals to investors and focus policymakers on priorities. The government is committed to working in partnership to support the business community in delivering their plans.”
