The Innovator – Mark Lufkin

August 5, 2024

Mark Lufkin, Chief Product Officer at Wondrwall, discusses the transformative power of technology in shaping modern-day living in energy-efficient, sustainable homes

You mentioned that cars have developed a lot over the years, but homes not so much. What do you think might be the primary reasons for this?

That’s a really good question and one I don’t get asked often. If we consider cars, they are marketed as products with differentiating features. Car manufacturers highlight energy efficiency and various functionalities to promote and market their cars. In contrast, houses are typically sold based on location and finish, without much emphasis on technological features. We don’t think of homes as products with features that enhance our living experience; instead, we see them as structures located in desirable areas. This lack of focus on homes as products with valuable technological features limits the incentive for house builders to invest in and add such technologies.

How would you describe the current landscape or the current status of energy efficiency in our homes today?

This is one area where house builders have started to consider technology to differentiate themselves, but it is not yet widespread. Government figures indicate that only 4% of new build homes meet EPCA standards, which is the highest level of energy efficiency achievable. However, only a subset of these homes achieve zero carbon emissions, and even fewer are net zero energy, meaning they generate as much energy as they consume. The UK has a legally binding commitment to be net zero by 2050, so there’s a lot of work to be done. Nearly all the homes being built today will need some form of upgrade or retrofit to reach net zero. The UK’s introduction of the Future Home Standard aims to address this issue by moving homes closer to net zero standards.

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