Buyers Concerned Over Costs Of Zero Carbon Homes

Potential house buyers are likely to reject zero carbon homes because of concerns over cost, value and low carbon features including the lack of power showers or gas appliances.

A detailed report from the National House Building Council’s research foundation, which spoke to 500 homeowners and 100 housebuilders, revealed that buyers feared the homes would cost more.

70% of housebuilders did not believe they will be able to build a zero carbon home profitably by 2016, and in addition only 6% of homeowners said they would pay the £35,000 extra estimated by the government for a zero carbon home, which would generate energy bill savings of just £400.

Speaking to the BBC ,NHBC chief executive Imtiaz Farookhi said the results came as no surprise.

"What has happened since the Stern Review is that there has been a general understanding of global warming and carbon emissions,But the debate about house building has largely been between government, regulators and the construction industry; in short, the supply side...The demand side - home-buyers and home-owners - actually haven't been involved in this process."

"Unless people actually understand and engage in this, they are not going to be willing to buy these homes and change their lifestyles."