Energy efficiency measures
Redrow’s group-wide design standards apply to all their homes and go beyond regulations and material sustainability standards in many instances. For example to minimise sound impacts Redrow uses robust Standard Details which exceed Building Regulaton requirements by 3 dB. All windows are 1.2U-Value and all doors are 1.0 U-value. All floors are 0.12max U-value. All roofs are 0.11 U-value: all improvements upon standard requirements. Redrow homes are also designed for improved daylighting and solar gains by adding larger than standard patio doors and windows.
Redrow is leading the industry in their approach to responsible timber sourcing and is developing a 'net positive' approach to our use of energy, water and materials. They have set an ambitious commitment to achieve science-based net-zero emissions by no later than 2050 across their operations, the homes they build, and the operations within their supply chain. This includes both direct and in-direct carbon emissions.
Innovation and new technology are key to unlocking the solutions required to reach net zero emissions. Homes will be built to the Future Homes Standard, complementing changes to Building Regulations, to ensure new homes produce less carbon emissions. To achieve this homes will be fitted with air source heat pumps, which is estimated will reduce the CO2 emissions from heating and hot water by around 84%. Customers will also benefit from a more energy efficient home, which requires less energy to heat.
In addition, Redrow offers its customers the opportunity to upgrade their homes by adding solar PV panels. This reduces the customer's reliance on grid electricity and reduces their utility bills. It also improves the home’s EPC rating while reducing CO2 emissions. The average EPC rating for our homes is B, but the integration of solar PV can improve this to an A rating.
Furthermore, new homes will be provided with an EV charging facility, in line with Part S of Building Regulations.
Redrow uses a number of materials and products that are considered to have low embodied carbon and our standard specification includes the following products:
- Roofing tiles: innovative interlocking concrete tiles that have 40% less CO2 emissions per m2 roof compared to concrete plain tiles.
- Concrete roof tiles in place of clay tiles: the embodied energy of clay tiles is 270 – 430 MJ/m2 while for concrete it is 40 – 90 MJ/m2.
- Aircrete concrete blocks: up to 80% of the raw materials used in the manufacture of the blocks are recycled products, with the primary ingredient being Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) which is a by-product of coal fired power stations that would otherwise be sent to landfill.
- Gypsum plasterboard: produced by using either natural gypsum, synthetic gypsum (from desulphurising the flue gas of coal-fired power plants) or recovered gypsum from the waste-recycling chain.
- Locally recycled aggregates.
Reducing the amount of construction waste that is produced is also important in Redrow’s effort to reduce CO2 emissions and they have recycling schemes in place to cut down on landfill waste. Redrow has also been working in partnership with the Community Wood Recycling Scheme for more than 5 years, to recycle and recover waste timber from our sites. The Community Wood Recycling Scheme is a national network which provides a collection service for excess wood, with the aim of saving resources by reusing and recycling waste timber. The Scheme also operates as a social enterprise, creating opportunities for local people.
Redrow has achieved a 26% decrease in the amount of waste we generate per 100m2 of build since 2017.
Examples of Redrow Homes elsewhere
Click on an image below to open up a slideshow of examples of Redrow homes
