Make 2022 your year to consider renewable heating for your NI self-build

Are you a developer or self-builder about to embark on a home building project? Then it’s about time you start thinking about how renewable energy can help you make a low impact on the environment. Installing renewable heating and energy systems is now less expensive than ever, so why not consider ‘going green’ with your project?

Three  Reasons to install renewable energy and heating systems into your self-build home

Self build costs

Some would say that taking on a self-build project is not for the faint-hearted, however, it is considerably cheaper per sq. metre in comparison to purchasing a property from a commercial developer. 

As a self-builder, saving money is possibly the biggest incentive for installing renewable home energy and heating to your build. There is no better time than now to create a green space that will have much lower running costs. Installing renewable home heating to a new build house is also considerably cheaper than installing as a retrofit into an older house. 

Air source heat pump

Air source heat pumps (ASHP) run on electricity that can be obtained from renewable energy. For new builds you could even generate your own electricity with solar panels on your roof, giving you complete freedom and control.

Air source heat pumps work by converting outside air to warm air, which then acts as your heating system. Running costs are extremely low because air source heat pumps are super-efficient and are known for their reliability and consistency.

Ground source heat pump

Ground source heat pumps use deep underground geothermal heating as their source. Perfect for new builds, ground source does require a lot of soil upheaval in the garden space or drilling deep down into the earth, so is great to get done in the process of building a new house as opposed to an existing house with an established garden.  

Solar panels

Solar panels generate power from the sun all day, every day. Generally better for a south-facing property, solar panels are getting better with every passing year, with specialist PV cells able to generate power even on a cloudy day.

This energy can be used directly by the house, or stored with a special renewable battery storage system.

Reduce your carbon footprint

Investing in a sustainable self-build project means that your home will not contribute to the current climate crisis. Governments are keen to change how we use energy in our homes and will often offer incentives to include renewable and sustainable energy into our new and existing homes. 

Air source heat pumps, solar panels, solar thermal, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps produce a significantly lower amount of CO2 making your home clean and green.

Improve air quality 

When building your own home and using renewable energy, you are significantly decreasing your contribution to air pollution. By not burning fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal via home heating and electricity, you are not pumping gasses into the atmosphere. This benefits you, the community and the future health of the planet.