2025 Action Scorecards

Question · Action Scorecards 2025

Has the council committed to building all future council-owned or managed housing to a high energy efficiency or operationally net zero standard?

Question code
3.2
Section
Planning & Land Use
Topic
Council homes - energy efficient and low carbon
Source
Volunteer Research
Question weight
Medium

Criteria

Two-tier criteria
First tier criteria met if the council has a policy to build new council-owned or managed housing as highly energy efficient or operationally net zero with the policy implemented from 2030 to 2040.

Second tier criteria met if the council has a policy to build new council owned or managed housing as highly energy efficient or operationally net zero with the policy already implemented or with implementation by 2030.

Clarifications

This question applies only to councils that own or manage more than 100 council homes.

"High energy efficiency" includes building new council owned or managed housing building standards such as Passivhaus/BREAM excellent or LEED standard or a similar council own standard.

For operationally net zero policies, we will accept those that define this as only concerning regulated emissions. Definitions for operationally net zero and regulated emissions are below.

Operationally net zero: "When the amount of carbon emissions associated with the building’s operational energy on an annual basis is zero or negative. A net zero carbon building is highly energy efficient and powered from on-site and/or off-site renewable energy sources, with any remaining carbon balance offset.” Definition from:
https://ukgbc.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/05150856/Net-Zero-Carbon-Buildings-A-framework-definition.pdf

Regulated emissions: "Emissions generated through building energy consumption resulting from the specification of controlled, fixed building services and fittings, including space heating and cooling, hot water, ventilation, fans, pumps and lighting. Such energy uses are inherent in the design of a building." For more information: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Regulated_and_unregulated_energy_consumption

Council-owned or managed housing: This includes arms-length management organisation (ALMO) if the homes are owned by the Council but not Housing Associations.

Question performance by council type