The Intermediary – January 2026 - Flipbook - Page 40
SPECIALIST FINANCE
Opinion
‘Zero bills’ homes
must start at
construction
T
he Government’s
ambition to invest
£13bn in retrofiing to
create ‘zero bill’ homes
represents a significant
opportunity to improve
comfort, cut energy costs, reduce
fuel poverty and accelerate progress
towards net zero.
However, to deliver on that promise,
creating the conditions for zero
bills homes must start at the point
of construction and not be treated
as an aerthought years later.The
announcement focuses on retrofiing
existing homes with low-carbon
technologies, including heat pumps,
solar panels and baery storage.
While these technologies are
welcomed and play an important
role in helping to reduce our reliance
on fossil fuels, retrofiing existing
properties oen presents challenges.
In many cases, households face
disruption, complex installation
processes and costs of £20,000 to
£25,000 and even then, results can
be quickly undone if the property
itself is not already well insulated
and airtight.
Fundamentally, low-carbon
technologies can only deliver true
energy savings when the home itself is
designed to minimise energy demand.
Designing net zero homes properly
from the outset is far more costeffective and far less disruptive than
aempting to resolve performance
issues later down the line. Improving
the thermal performance of homes
remains one of the quickest ways to
cut bills, reduce carbon emissions and
create healthier places to live.
That’s why future-proofing new
homes from the outset maers. Longterm energy performance, not shortterm compliance, is what ultimately
protects households and ensures
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The Intermediary | January 2026
public investment delivers real value
for the future.
Action must go beyond retrofiing
technologies alone and focus much
more on building energy-efficient,
future-proofed homes from the
very start of construction. When
homes are designed with high levels
of insulation, natural materials and
integrated renewables, zero energy
bills become achievable without the
need for costly upgrades.
We must not forget that building net
zero homes is not just about reducing
energy bills or meeting carbon targets.
Well-designed, energy-efficient homes
are also healthier home environments
for those living in them, and that
benefit is oen overlooked.
Poorly built housing contributes
to damp, mould and poor indoor air
quality, all of which can cause health
issues in both the immediate and
long term.
According to the Health
Foundation, cold homes are estimated
to cost the NHS more than £1bn each
year, as they exacerbate respiratory
and cardiovascular conditions and
can both cause and worsen mental
health issues.
Homes that are properly insulated
and airtight, with controlled
ventilation and improved air quality,
reduce condensation and mould,
protect homeowners and generally
provide beer overall wellbeing.
LAURA STONE
is COO at Greencore Homes
windows, air source heat pumps,
optimised solar PV panels and EV
charging points, reducing bills and
carbon while giving people homes that
are healthier and more comfortable
to live in.
Warm homes should be treated as
critical national infrastructure – every
year of delay is a missed opportunity to
improve living standards, strengthen
energy security and accelerate the
UK’s progress towards net zero.
We don’t just stop at the homes
themselves; sustainability is at the
core of everything we do. By taking a
landscape-led approach to each and
every development and ensuring we
incorporate sustainability practices
from day one of a design, we are able
to enhance local ecology and create
climate positive communities.
We adhere to Bioregional’s One
Planet Living Framework when
designing each of our developments
as part of our commitment to creating
sustainable and thriving places to live.
Delivering zero bills depends
on embedding energy efficiency,
strengthening building fabric with
low-carbon materials and designing
health and wellbeing advantages into
homes from day one. ●
Exceptional efficiency
At Greencore Homes, we’re proving
that our homes can deliver exceptional
energy efficiency, low running costs
and comfort from day one.
Our homes are built to Passivhaus
standards using natural, nontoxic materials to ensure superior
insulation, airtightness and comfort.
Standard features include triple-glazed
Homes need to be future-proofed from the outset
