Daniel Burton, group CEO and founder of Wondrwall, discusses the need for the housing industry to embrace new energy to make it possible to achieve net zero.
As the global community races against time to combat climate change, the new build housing industry stands at a crucial crossroads. The ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions is not just a visionary goal but a necessary one. The good news is that the technology required to transform our homes into net zero havens is already at our fingertips. What remains is the implementation of progressive finance and service models to enable widespread adoption. As we have seen in the automotive and telecoms sectors, once the new build housing industry fully embraces new energy as a service model, the scaling of renewable technologies will be an inevitability that can lead to the sustainable future we’re trying to reach.
The technological arsenal for net zero homes
The demand for energy-efficient building materials is driving innovations in construction. High-quality insulation made from recycled materials, triple-glazed windows, and new technologies are significantly reducing energy consumption in homes.
Wondrwall offers a unique combination of low-carbon heating, hot water, renewable energy generation, storage, and EV charging; coupled with advanced home automation and security, all optimised as part of a complete AI-powered home energy management system.
System integrations include:
- A choice of electric, low-carbon, space heating; including air source heat pumps, ceiling-mounted infrared heating, and electric underfloor heating.
- Energy-saving hot water cylinders designed to mitigate the increasing energy demand to supply hot water in new builds.
- Solar PV, with in-roof mountings, and battery storage to enable homeowners to benefit from free solar and low-cost, off-peak grid energy to reduce bills and support demand balancing.
- Advanced home automation with intelligent heating, lighting, and security controls based on behaviours and user preferences.
- EV charging to ensure Part S compliance and advance the charging infrastructure that will drive the electrification of personal transport.
Bridging the financial gap
Despite the availability of these technologies, their widespread adoption faces significant barriers, primarily financial. The high upfront costs of sustainable technologies can be prohibitive for many developers and homebuyers. This is where progressive finance and service models come into play.
Wondrwall Energy Service Contracts (ESC) is a funded solution that allows housebuilders to incorporate renewable technology into new build homes at no extra cost, thereby helping to maintain costs at current levels.
The cost of the renewable technology is recovered as part of an annual service fee, which is billed monthly to the homeowner. Without models like Wondrwall ESC, housebuilders looking to create low-carbon homes would incur high costs for the materials and technology. Wondrwall ESC specifically removes the cost barriers to net zero housebuilding, thus eliminating the ‘green premium’ usually associated with low-carbon homes.
Benefits of ESC include:
- Build net zero homes at no extra cost – With ESC, solar PV, battery storage, inverters, and EV chargers are installed and maintained with no upfront cost, meaning build costs can remain comparable with current gas-heated homes.
- Reduce homeowners’ energy bills – Wondrwall’s AI-powered home energy management system has been proven to reduce homeowner energy bills by up to £1,500 per year.
- Fully maintained energy assets – ESC offers complete peace of mind for homeowners, knowing that Wondrwall provides full maintenance on their solar PV, battery, inverter, and EV charger, including a free battery and inverter upgrade after 10 years, ensuring there are no large unexpected future costs.
- Removes the ‘green premium’ – ESC creates an advantage for housebuilders to market the sustainable homes of the future without the lofty price tags that their competitors will face.
The path forward
Daniel Burton, Wondrwall group CEO and founder, concluded: “The road to net zero for the new build housing industry is paved with potential. It is imperative for stakeholders across the housing industry to collaborate, innovate, and invest in the future of net zero living. The technology is already here, and with the right financial frameworks, the vision of sustainable living can become a widespread reality. By adopting progressive finance and service models, such as Wondrwall ESC, we can accelerate the transition towards a net zero future, ensuring that new homes not only meet but exceed environmental targets that will contribute to a greener, more sustainable world for generations to come.”
