Our Sustainable Promise

Kebbell is committed to making a positive contribution to the country’s ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

We believe what is good for our purchasers, staff, subcontractors, consultants, land vendors and the communities in which we operate, is good for the planet.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility is at the heart of everything we do. This is nothing new. Throughout our 70 years we have always ensured we operate ethically, considering the social, economic and environmental impacts of our new homes. We aim to give back to the communities in which we build, take part in philanthropic causes, and provide positive social value.

Kebbell Homes – Our energy efficient homes make savings on energy bills

The House Builders Federation (HBF), the body representing housebuilders in the UK, regularly report on the energy efficiency of newly built homes comparing new and existing properties. In the year to 31 March 2024, they report the following generalised figures;

A new build home benefits from an average saving of almost £2,200 a year compared to an equivalent sized existing property. That’s up to £183 a month

The average new build home uses 57% less energy than older counterparts, that’s a 57% saving on energy bills

100% of newly built Kebbell homes have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B. This compares to 85% of other new homes built each year. Only 5% of existing older properties achieve an EPC of A or B

Energy efficient features in a Kebbell home include 100% low energy lighting, up to 400mm of loft insulation and significant wall insulation, double glazed windows, underfloor heating and rigorous air tightness testing as well as solar panels becoming more and more common

These energy saving features are also good for Kebbell’s and the country’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050

By purchasing a new build home with enhanced energy efficiency, rather than an older, less energy-efficient property, HBF report a national saving 576,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, meaning that new homes are making a contribution to reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Less energy is used and less is wasted

New build homes emit 61% less carbon a year than the average older property. The average new build home emits 1.33 tonnes of carbon per year, just 39% of that of the average older property, which emits an average of 3.51 tonnes per year

Source: https://www.hbf.co.uk/policy/wattasave Accessed May 2024

Net Zero Commitment and wider Sustainability Goals

In Kebbell Homes recognition of the importance of making a full and lasting commitment to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from our activities, in support of the wider commitment of the world to limit global temperature increases and the impact on the planet of climate change, we have completed our carbon audit of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions for 2022 and are now implementing our Carbon Reduction Plan.

We are committed to achieving Net Zero in line with the science-based targets set out by the UNFCCC i.e., to achieve Net Zero no later than 2050 and target a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030. We are pleased to have made a start on the road to playing its part in reaching Net Zero by 2050 by embarking on an audit of its scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. This has involved setting up a cross-department task force. From this position of evidence, the intention is to review and consider where the biggest reductions can be made.

The company’s support of a director undertaking an MSc in Sustainable Urban Development reflects its commitment to taking its obligations and opportunities for positive change seriously. It also is a good indicator of the company’s culture whereby actions are taken based on fact, research, evidence and only after much consideration. Having said this, the company is mindful to remain commercially competitive and it is against this backdrop of viability that decisions will be taken only when they are reasonable and consummate with the benefits.

The company’s ethos and culture are geared to ensuring we are educated about, and engaged with, what sustainability really means and what actions are being taken to reduce not only our impact on CO2e and other greenhouse gas emissions but where other sustainable goals (as defined by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals) may be positively impacted.

Kebbell Homes - Carbon Race to Zero Report 2022.pdf

Our People

We are proud of all our staff at Kebbell. Our retention rate is excellent and this is not by accident. The collaborative, empowering, inclusive culture comes from the top. The approachable, reassuring, understated calm nature of our owner and MD Nick Kebbell ensures the company enjoys an atmosphere where everyone’s opinion matters and everyone feels important and valued.

Our Environmental Responsibility

We happily include all requirements such as bat boxes, hedgehog highways and bee nesting sites at our developments but wherever possible we will go that extra mile. At Heatherfields in Bordon we protected a reptile nesting area and at Cornelian Fields in Scarborough we have planted many new trees to ensure we enhance the natural environment.

Vb1570373 heatherfields 8873 plot 50 adj

We install solar panels wherever possible on our privately owned houses, and we piloted using air source heat pumps as early as 2017 at The Courtyard in Droxford, Hampshire.

We have for many years fitted underfloor heating as standard. We have always known it is a more energy efficient way to heat our homes, compared to conventional central heating systems. It uses less energy and therefore has reduced carbon emissions as well as lowering energy bills for our homeowners.

Our Carbon Reduction Plan

With the sale of new diesel and petrol cars banned from 2035 our homes are electric charging point ready. Ultra-fast broadband is available to all our homes, and has been since 2019.

These features, alongside our current build specification, ensure all our open market homes will exceed the 2025 Future Homes Standard. All of our properties are EPC rated with at least B and on occasions A.

Preparations are in place for all our homes to be gas-free well in advance of the 2025 statutory requirement.

We have now completed our CO2 emissions Audit for 2022 and this has led us to implement our Carbon Reduction Plan.

What is an EPC?

An EPC (energy performance certificate) is a calculation of the CO2 a property is likely to produce each year. The average house in the UK rates a D on the EPC scale and this equates to 6 tonnes of CO2 being produced annually. At Kebbell all our properties rate a B and as such emit an average of only 1.2 tonnes of CO2. Depending on the needs of the household this will result in lower energy bills as well as being better for the environment. As we move to all electric homes on forthcoming developments our homes are likely to rate an A which will bring about the capacity for even lower CO2 emissions and lower energy bills.

Our Sustainability Standards

We ensure 100% of our timber is sourced from certified Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sources.

We actively promote recycling, minimising single-use plastics and are committed to reducing our waste generation. Currently, over 97% of our skip waste is recycled.

We will not enter into or maintain relationships with individuals or organisations engaged in activities which go against our ethical standards.

Our Future

Although we have always operated in a sustainable and ethical manner we take our future obligations and aspirations very seriously. To this end we are sponsoring our Sales and Marketing Director Andrea Fawell to gain a Masters degree from Oxford University in Sustainable Urban Development.

Considered, informed, evidence led and educated is the position the company always takes and its future sustainability is no different.

BIG North Pole

Kebbell’s commitment to the national drive to Net Zero by 2050 made the decision to support the vital work of the BIG North Pole team, of which I am a member, an easy ‘Yes!’ The purpose of this ski expedition to the North Pole is to collect valuable scientific data about Arctic Ocean Sea Ice – BEFORE IT’S GONE.

Sustainability