The building and housing sector are one of today’s major contributors to global warming and the climate crisis. Acknowledging the urgent need to find a solution to this problem, the Welsh government has recently issued plans requiring all new homes in the country to be heated and powered by clean energy.
Housing currently accounts for 9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Wales. But under the new proposals, houses built after 2025 will be more energy-efficient, cheaper to run and produce up to 80 percent less CO2 emissions.
By the end of 2020, buildings are expected to transition away from fossil-fuel-dependent energy sources and towards low-carbon alternatives, such as renewables, heat pumps and district heating networks that can heat multiple buildings from a central source.
Officials estimate that once fully implemented the new home energy efficiency drive would lead to a 37 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from new homes compared with current standards, while also saving homeowners an average of £180 ($235) a year on bills.
The plans follow the Welsh Government’s declaration of a ‘climate emergency’ last year and come as it prepares to bring forward legislation to adopt a 95 percent greenhouse gas reduction target for 2050.
