Living With Renewable Energy

Sustainable living begins at home. New homes will be built to the very latest design, ensuring that fluctuations of temperature within the homes are kept to an absolute minimum, thanks to exceptional standards of insulation, design and build.

This in turn means less heat will be needed during colder months to keep homes comfortable, and less power will be needed when it is hotter, to keep homes cool. Insulation will also reduce the amount of heat lost; and energy efficiency lights, AAA rating domestic appliances and smart metering will reduce the amount of electricity required.

Before we consider renewable energy we firstly need to reduce our need for energy and use what energy we do need much more efficiently. When benefitting from energy from renewable sources, it is important that any continuing use of fossil fuels uses clean technologies that maximise efficiency. Before introducing renewable energy to a community, we must be confident that the buildings are built to the highest standards and are as energy efficient as possible.

The new communities in Cambridgeshire can then adopt renewable energy that draws on the power of sustainable resources such as wind, the sun, and the heat that is held in the ground; to compliment the already extremely energy efficient household.

In practice, there shouldn't be any noticeable differences living in a home that gets its heat and/or power from renewable energy or low carbon technologies. The internal controls would be largely the same as a conventional system and would not require any more space. There would be less fluctuations in temperature and a lower demand for energy.

For more information on what it's like to live in a renewable energy home, visit our FAQs page. You can also visit our Interactive Energy Plan to see an example of a community living with renewable energy; and our Interactive House.