Objectives
- Analysis of the energy strategies for seven large scale housing developments
- Determine if they fulfil sustainability requirements for planning
- Identify site specific opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions and highlight imminent energy challenges
On behalf of North Northamptonshire Council, we performed a review of the low carbon energy strategies for seven new Garden Community housing developments across North Northamptonshire representing over 27,000 new homes.
Our work identified that energy constraints are highly likely to be experienced by each site during their development due to (i) changes to building standards, prohibiting fossil fuel heating in new homes from 2025 (ii) the accelerating uptake of electric vehicles as we head towards a 2030 target of no new petrol or diesel car sales and (iii) known grid capacity issues in the North Northamptonshire area.
Our report provided recommendations to overcome the energy and sustainability challenges for each site. We worked with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), National Grid, to find solutions to grid connection issues that affect the financial viability of housing schemes. We explored how housing developments can access low carbon, renewable energy and offset the impact of the rise of electric vehicles.
Electric Places continues to provide consultancy support to drive excellency in sustainability Garden Community developments in North Northamptonshire.
