Why new homes are more energy efficient
As UK energy prices soar, it's never been a better time to buy a new build, which save homeowners an average of £2,600 in energy bills.*
Many of us are having to keep a closer eye on our energy consumption at the moment, so it's never been better to hear that last year buyers of new homes saved more than £500m on energy bills, according to a new report published by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).
Along with reducing household spends, new build homes emit just a third of the carbon produced by traditional housing - meaning buying new is a great choice for the planet as well as your purse.
Lower running costs
The report found that while older properties require an average of 259kWh per m2, meaning average running costs of £3,570, new builds such as our Charles Church homes use around only 100kWh per m2 , with average running costs coming in at £1,500.
This is because our homes are built to modern standards with a number of energy-saving provisions, leading the vast majority to have an EPC rating of A or B.
How our homes help
Charles Church houses are built with energy efficiency in mind. This includes argon-filled double-glazed windows, high efficiency thermal insulation in walls and roofs, energy-saving heating systems, and modern appliances that will save you money in the long and short term.
As part of our plan to have net-zero carbon homes in use by 2030, we're also starting to build low-carbon homes and eco-homes across some of our sites, which include innovative technologies such as solar panels, battery storage and MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery).
The greener option
The climate crisis, along with rising costs, is making more people stop and think about the choices they make - so much so, that the HBF found that 1 in 4 home buyers put energy efficiency as a key consideration when they purchase a house.
Luckily, the energy-efficient features of new builds mean each new house saves an average of 2.2 tonnes of CO2 every year compared to older properties, leading to a 500,000 tonne reduction in carbon emissions in total. This, along with our efforts to encourage biodiversity and greener living, means that moving to a new Charles Church home is a small win for the environment.
5 top tips for saving money on bills this winter
1. Switch all your electronics off when not in use, instead of leaving them on standby.
2. Turn lights off when you're not in the room, and check that you're using energy-efficient LED bulbs.
3. Tumble dryers are the most expensive white goods to run, so to save money you can continue to dry your clothes outside in the colder weather. It will take a little longer, but so long as the weather is dry your clothes will dry too.
4. To save costs running your oven, batch cook meals and reheat in the microwave which is more cost-efficient. You could also invest in an air fryer or slow cooker which are both cheaper to run than an oven.
5. Time your hot water use. Using a timer to see how long you spend showering and running hot water for washing up can be a great way of staying on top of your hot water use.