New-build houses save buyers £2,600 in annual energy bills - claim

New-build buyers will save on average around £2,600 a year in energy bills, research claims.

Analysis based on Government’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data shows new-build properties can “significantly reduce” households’ energy usage, with the average new home using approximately 100 kWh per m2 per year compared with older properties which require an average of 259kWh per m2.

A new Watt a Save report, published today by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), shows that in total, last year’s new build purchasers are saving  more than £500m a on annual energy bills, with new build homes emitting a third of the carbon of an older property, reducing carbon emissions by over 500,000 tonnes. 

New-build properties save an average of just over £2,000 per property each year, with the average annual running costs for a new build totaling £1,500 as compared to an average of £3,570 for older properties, the report found.

These savings rise to £2,600 a year when looking at new and old houses alone, rather than smaller properties such as flats or bungalows.

HBF is now urging lenders to further support homebuyers to make energy efficient and money-saving purchases by factoring in energy bill savings into mortgage calculations.

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the HBF said: “The energy crisis is highlighting starkly the efficiency benefits and cost savings provided by new build homes. Energy efficiency is a growing priority for house hunters and the financial savings clearly demonstrate why.  

“In the face of the cost-of-living crisis we now need lenders to take these savings into account so that consumers can benefit further through cheaper mortgages.”