Camden building becomes first ‘net zero carbon’ residential home in the UK
Camden is home to the first ‘net zero carbon’ residential house in the country, marking a watershed moment in the drive for cleaner energy.
Max Fordham House uses a mixture of saving measures, including insulation and renewable energy, to achieve net zero.
The building, designed for and lived in by designer Max Fordham, was validated both through its construction and operation, in line with the UK Green Buildings Council (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Building Framework this week.
Among efficiency measures are triple-glazed windows, which allow natural light in to avoid electric in the day, in addition to insulating shutters. The house was also constructed with low-carbon cement, timber, wood fibre and cork.
An investment in offsetting was made at the voluntary cost of £70 per tonne, to achieve net zero emissions in its building.
“Our ambition is to support a million homes and businesses to cut carbon from their energy and transport use by 2025”, said Nigel Pocklington, chief executive of renewables firm Good Energy, which supplies electricity to the property.
“The UK currently has some of the oldest and least energy efficient homes in Europe, resulting in high heating costs which are only likely to worsen in the short term, so it’s essential that all new buildings are designed and constructed to net zero carbon standards if the UK is to meet its climate targets and support consumers.
Ali Shaw, partner and principal engineer at Max Fordham LLP, said the first was a “great way to honour Max and his huge contribution to the delivery of sustainable buildings.