Investigating the potential for achieving low and zero carbon homes in the UK using an interactive code for sustainable homes based toolkit

This paper describes the development, application and analysis of an interactive user-friendly Code for Sustainable Homes based toolkit called Sustainability  appraisal Toolkit (SAT) commissioned by a leading UK social housing provider. The SAT software runs on MS Excel and is used to evaluate the technical and economical feasibility of achieving Code levels 4, 5 and 6 for a representative sample of new-build dwellings in the UK for different scales of development (single-home, 25-home and 250-home development). The research emphasises the importance of maximising energy efficiency improvements to the fabric and form of a dwelling, before adding optimum low/zero carbon systems (if required). The paper also concludes that a mix of energy technologies is required depending upon the site and scale of development, and the cost varies  with scale to meet different levels of the Code.