Norfolk House Bulder Backs Miliband’s Call For All New Homes To Have Solar Panels

A Norfolk house builder has backed energy secretary Ed Mililband’s call for new homes to be fitted with solar panels, calling the proposal a ‘no-brainer’.

Watton-based Abel Homes has fitted photovoltaic solar panels, which generate electricity from sunlight, as standard on all open market homes it has built since 2015.  But current building regulations do not compel house builders to fit solar panels to new homes.

Last week Mr Miliband said that the move was ‘common sense’ and that adding solar panels to new homes would save the typical household £500 a year on their energy bills.

“This is such an obvious suggestion that the big question is why it hasn’t been raised sooner,” said Paul LeGrice, managing director of Abel Homes.  “Fitting solar panels is one of a number of measures that house builders should be taking to minimise the impact of new homes on the environment, and ensuring that running those homes is as affordable as possible – it’s a no-brainer.

“It is really disappointing that just 6% of new homes built in 2023/24 had an EPC rating of ‘A’, although this is more than double the proportion in the previous year.  I hope that the forthcoming Future Homes Standards push for the overall level of energy-efficient homes to increase.”

All the new homes Abel Homes has built since 2015 have had an ‘A’ rated EPC, the highest level of energy-efficiency.  As well as photo-voltaic solar panels, the firm’s new homes boast features such as triple glazing, air source heat pumps and underfloor heating to the ground floor.

“As well as the environmental benefits, building energy-efficient homes gives us a significant competitive advantage as well,” said Mr LeGrice.  “Buyers want to know that running their homes will be affordable, and that they will be warm.”

Mr Miliband said that the number of new homes with solar panels needed to be “much, much higher”, adding, “It’s got to be almost universal.”

Abel Homes is currently building new homes in Dereham, East Harling, Swaffham and Taverham.