Energy Facts

Benefits

The use of renewable energy within sustainable new communities brings many benefits for both the individual and their family, as well as for the wider community.

The most immediate benefits will be seen in your wallet or purse: fuel bills in a sustainable home are lower.

This is because the design and build of the new homes ensures that they are more thermally efficient. Adapting our homes to the future impact of climate change is crucial. As climate change results in hotter dryer summers, careful design, choice of materials, effective cross-ventilation and shading can ensure that new homes can be designed to minimise the risk of overheating. So less energy is needed to heat or cool it.

The energy that is used will come from renewable energy sources such as hot water from solar panels that use the sun's energy, or heat pumps that draw heat stored in the earth and which again can be used to heat the home and its water.

Because these resources – sun and wind - are unlimited, there are no concerns over future security of supply.

A further benefit is that heating and electricity from renewable sources does not need to be generated by burning finite resources such as oil, coal and gas. Burning these fuels not only cause pollution but also adds to our emissions of carbon dioxide, a harmful so-called "greenhouse" gas which contributes to global warming and increases the effects of climate change.

Renewable energy resources are at present largely unexploited in the UK but have vast potential. When it comes to wind power, the UK has the largest renewable energy resource in Europe. If we also consider the use of biomass, which can be produced locally, we could create security of energy supply.

The technology is also tried and tested. Although the UK currently generates less than 2% of its energy from renewable power, a country like Sweden generates around 40%. And while systems such as the on-site Combined Cooling Heat and Power system, are relatively rare in the UK, in other countries such as Denmark these systems are well established and accepted.

A less obvious benefit is the way that by developing new communities, with an interest in renewable energy and sustainable living, it could help generate enthusiasm, involvement and knowledge about low-carbon lifestyles and attract investment from businesses.