Energy

Becoming more energy efficient, both in our own operations and in the energy performance of the new homes we build, is an important part of our CR strategy. We have continued to introduce compounds fitted with a range of energy saving devices to drive down energy usage as well as standardised guidelines and procedures for the use of heating in our show homes and sales offices to drive further efficiencies. We have also launched environmental and sustainability awareness campaigns in all offices.

Carbon Footprint

We calculate our annual carbon footprint using the latest emission factors from the Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting. The results are reported to the Carbon Disclosure Project as well as published in our latest Annual Report. Our carbon footprint is externally verified by Zeco Energy to a ‘reasonable assurance level’, as well as subject to scrutiny by our external auditors KPMG.

Energy Audits

As part of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), we undertook energy efficiency consumption audits at some of our offices and development sites with a view to identifying a range of energy saving initiatives that could be rolled out across the Group.

Construction

All our new homes are designed to, as a minimum, meet the energy efficiency criteria set out in the relevant building regulations, and in many cases we exceed this criteria. This helps our customers minimise their running costs and their impact on the environment once they have taken ownership of the property. Where appropriate we may use a range of renewable energy technologies on developments, such as solar panels, photo-voltaic panels, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. Lighting in new homes is energy efficient while boilers are ‘A’ rated for energy and going forward we will be introducing ‘dual zone’ heating capability into all our news homes to further improve efficiency. In addition all windows are double-glazed and kitchen appliances are A-rated or better for energy consumption. All these initiatives help to lower the energy bills for our customers.

Customers

Our informative home owner packs include our ‘Go Green’ information sheet, developed specifically for customers to help them make informed environmentally-friendly choices about how they live in their property, ensuring that they have the best possible experience of a Bellway home from the moment they move in.