Why new-build homes are more environmentally friendly

Key Takeaways

• Developers use eco-friendly or recycled materials during construction to minimize waste and reduce deforestation. 
• Up to 80% of materials used in new builds are recycled once the project is complete.

• New-build homes adhere to rigorous energy efficiency standards, often receiving an EPC rating of A or B. 
• This is a significant improvement compared to traditional homes, which rarely score above a D.
• State-of-the-art insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and fixtures help reduce energy consumption and minimize the carbon footprint of new homes.

•  Many new builds incorporate renewable energy sources such as solar panels and geothermal heating systems. 
• These technologies harness clean energy and can even feed excess energy back into the grid.

Four questions for evaluating the eco-credentials of a home

There’s no simple definition of ‘environmentally friendly’, but there are a number of key factors to consider:

1. Is the home built using sustainable materials and practices?
2. Is the home energy-efficient?
3. Is the home built to last and to minimise maintenance?
4. Does the home’s outdoor space and local environment help nature and biodiversity thrive?

Answering these questions with a simple ‘yes’ won’t tell you everything you need to know, but can be an instructive place to start. Read on as we discuss these factors in more detail.

Sustainable building

There are a vast number of ways to minimise waste and reduce energy when designing and constructing new-build houses. Sourcing eco-friendly building materials and using recycled content which help to minimise waste and deforestation is a good indicator that the homebuilder takes sustainability seriously. Another quick way to tell if this is a priority for your developer is if they possess a ISO14001 certificate – the world’s most established standard for environmental management.

There is more to this issue than simply the choice of materials. Day-to-day practices play an important part in the commitment to developing sustainable new-build houses too, a responsibility that needs to be followed all along the supply chain. For example, we work closely with our suppliers to find alternative solutions to reduce waste wherever we can. Whether that’s using recycled materials for kitchen cabinets or resizing plasterboards to reduce the cut offs. In fact, 95% of our waste is currently reused or recycled rather than ending up in landfill – with our goal to eliminate waste entirely.¹

Energy-efficiency for lower bills

Older UK homes are generally some of the worst insulated in Europe.² This makes them colder, more expensive to run and with higher carbon footprints. New-build homes, on the other hand, are often cheaper to run because they’re built with energy-efficiency factored in from the design stage. That’s why, with a brand-new home, you could save up to 58% in running costs - a saving of up to £2,600 on your bills each year.³

Thanks to advanced systems and smart technologies we install, all David Wilson homes come with highly thermally efficient insulation and argon-filled double-glazing as standard. This allows the heat from the sun in, while minimising heat loss. So during winter, no matter how cold it is outside, you’ll stay warm and cosy without wasting money in lost heat.

Our homes also use the latest water and energy saving appliances, which means our water efficient kitchen and bathroom fittings could reduce consumption by up to 26% per day per person compared to the national average.⁴

Take a look at our energy-efficient, stylish and spacious homes for yourself:

The reassurance of quality

A quality home is one that lasts. This matters environmentally because replacing, upgrading or adding insulation are all processes that use energy and cost money.

An energy-efficient home that’s well insulated, well-built and has quality fixtures, fittings and appliances is one that will have lower emissions – and bills – day after day, year after year. It’s also likely to be a home where you enjoy living, with greater comfort and less maintenance to worry about. All of this is good news for you and the planet.

At David Wilson Homes, we’re incredibly proud to have been awarded more Pride in the Job Quality Awards than any other major UK housebuilder.⁵ Furthermore, every one of our homes is inspected and approved by specialist teams before you move in. It’s why over 90% of our homeowners would recommend us to friends and family.⁶

Supporting biodiversity

The UK is home to a huge variety of wildlife, but for many species numbers are in decline. As a national housebuilder, we believe we have a responsibility to support biodiversity and encourage local wildlife to thrive in and around developments.

At David Wilson, we’re committed to protecting and preserving British wildlife so that it can thrive – and homeowners can enjoy having nature on their doorsteps. By way of example, with every new garden we plant trees or shrubs, and pick bee-friendly plants – some of our homes even feature innovative ‘swift bricks’ for nesting. All this makes our new-build homes more eco-friendly.

To ensure we’re genuinely enhancing the biodiversity of our developments, we began an award-winning national partnership with the RSPB – Britain’s largest nature conservation charity – back in 2014.

For hints and tips on how you can help nature thrive in your outdoor space, please visit this page:

We hope you can see that there is a lot to consider when it comes to choosing an environmentally friendly home. If you’re excited by the eco-friendly advantages of a new-build home, why not explore what David Wilson have to offer right now?

References

1. https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/~/media/Files/B/Barratt-Developments/sustainability/group-socio-economic-footprint-2021-3110.pdf
2. https://www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-the-day/2022/01/british-homes-among-the-worst-insulated-in-europe
3. Indicative figures, based on HBF "Watt a Save" report published Oct 2022
4. https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/
5. We’, ‘our’, ‘us’ refers to the Barratt Developments PLC Group brands including Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Barratt London.
6. Based on HBF star rating scheme from 2010 to 2022 derived from the NHBC national new homes survey at eight weeks (https://www.hbf.co.uk/policy/policy-and-wider-work-program/customer-satisfaction-survey/latest-results/), over 90% of Barratt Developments PLC group customer would recommend our brands to a friend.