From Oil to Off-Grid: How One Village Set a New Standard for UK Housing (EP 221)

In the studio today, Paul is joined by Emma Fletcher, Low Carbon Homes Director at Octopus Energy, Chair of the RICS Residential Professional Group Panel, and a lifelong innovator in residential development. From leading housing associations to helping an entire village go 100% off oil, Emma is redefining what a modern home should be. Register your interest for the Strategy Summit Event at the Churchill War Rooms on June 26th here - https://c-link.com/C-Link-Churchill-War-Rooms-Event In this episode, Emma and I dive into the rise of zero-bill homes – what they are, how they work, and why they’re no longer a pipe dream. We talk about solar, battery, heat pumps, AI, and homes as energy assets, not just consumers. We explore:The Swaffham Prior story – how a village went off-grid Why retrofit might scale faster than new build How housebuilders, surveyors and contractors must rethink viability and design Why zero bills is becoming the global standard, and how the UK can catch up Whether you’re a developer, QS, contractor or housing association—this conversation will make you think differently about how homes are designed, valued, and delivered in the future. 📩 Have a question for Paul? Email paul@c-link.com to have it answered in an upcoming episode! 📩 If you"d like to read the two Own the Build eBooks based on 200+ episodes — Mastering Your Career in Quantity Surveying and The AI Revolution in Quantity Surveying — head to the show notes to download your free copy. Download them here - Free eBook Downloads. Send us a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com or through, C-Link. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.