Do the numbers stack up? Lessons from a zero carbon housing estate

This paper provides an insight into the quanta of energy using appliances and equipment that fill our homes and satisfy our ever-growing needs. The paper presents key results from the first two years of monitoring for the initial tranche of houses, demonstrating that although significant reductions in operating energy use have been achieved, few households have reached a net zero energy standard. The research highlights the extent to which our choice of energy systems and our individual behaviour affect the total annual energy use. The energy end-use and energy generation results are examined to identify the contribution of near zero-energy homes to the twin policy challenges of anthropogenic climate change and peak power demand. Using empirical evidence from extensive monitoring, this paper throws new light on the energy use of actual families in contemporary near zero-energy homes.