Peter Mintoft at Charlton & Jenrick explores how Ecodesign Ready stoves contribute to low carbon builds, supporting building efficiency and sustainable heating without compromising air quality or design integrity.
Housebuilders and developers are increasingly under pressure to deliver homes that exceed traditional energy and carbon benchmarks. Amid this push, modern wood burning stoves, particularly Ecodesign Ready models, are emerging as credible secondary heating solutions that align with low carbon strategies and elevated building fabric requirements.
A persistent barrier to wider adoption has been the misperception that wood burning stoves significantly damage indoor and outdoor air quality. However, earlier claims, based on overestimated domestic wood fuel usage of around six million tonnes annually, have now been revised. According to recent analysis published by Ricardo Energy & Environment for DEFRA in 2025, more accurate data puts the total UK domestic wood fuel use at approximately 1.75 million tonnes per year. This correction places the contribution of domestic wood burning at well under 10% of total UK PM 2.5 emissions, rather than the previously reported 38%. Moreover, modern Ecodesign Ready stoves produce up to 90% fewer particulate emissions than open fires and 80% fewer than older, non-compliant models, demonstrating the role of regulation and innovation in improving performance.
The success of a stove in a low carbon home hinges on several interrelated factors: the appliance’s efficiency, the quality of the fuel, the accuracy of the installation, and the operator’s use of the product. Only wood with a moisture content below 20% should be burned. The introduction of the Ready to Burn certification in the UK, mandatory since 2021, has helped ensure that consumers and developers have access to fuel that meets these moisture and quality standards. Using seasoned hardwoods such as oak or beech not only lengthens burn times but also reduces smoke, soot, and creosote formation, critical in the airtight environments common to modern high performance builds.
The Ecodesign regulations, implemented in January 2022, establish strict performance and emissions criteria for all new solid fuel stoves sold in the UK. Appliances that meet these requirements can earn an A or A+ grade under the EU energy labelling system, offering reassurance to both developers and homeowners about their environmental credibility. Voluntary certification schemes, such as clearSkies, provide further clarity by grading stoves that exceed baseline Ecodesign performance, with levels four and five indicating exceptionally clean and efficient operation.
One of the key misconceptions that persists is the false equivalence between modern stoves and traditional open fires. Critics often conflate the two when, in fact, the differences are substantial. Open fires emit nearly 10 times more particulates than an Ecodesign compliant stove. This ongoing confusion contributes to a distorted narrative around the environmental impact of wood burning appliances and hinders informed decision making at both policy and development levels.
From an ecological perspective, modern stove use can be integrated into sustainable forestry practices. Responsible woodland management, including timber thinning and the removal of diseased or overcrowded trees, not only promotes healthier ecosystems but also supports biodiversity and long term carbon sequestration. In contrast, when dead wood is left to decay naturally, it releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere over time. By harvesting and burning properly seasoned wood in efficient stoves, this carbon release is managed more effectively, contributing to a closed carbon loop.
Perhaps most notably, the UK government recently confirmed that Ecodesign stoves may be installed as secondary heating sources in new build homes constructed to the Future Homes Standard. In September 2024, the Scottish Parliament U-turned on an earlier ban on woodburning stoves in new homes. These decisions mark an important shift in official recognition of wood burning stoves’ role in delivering resilient low carbon heating options. It also helps to dispel the outdated view that stoves are incompatible with modern sustainability goals.
In practical terms, developers working on new build projects, such as timber frame or Passivhaus style properties, can incorporate an Ecodesign Ready inset stove alongside primary systems like air source heat pumps. This hybrid approach offers both technical and lifestyle benefits. For example, it can reduce reliance on grid supplied energy during peak winter demand, delivering up to a 30% reduction in primary heating emissions compared to a gas only setup. Proper ventilation design, including an outside air intake for the stove, ensures efficient combustion and safe operation without compromising the home’s airtightness or ventilation strategy.
Stoves also appeal to end users for reasons that go beyond technical specifications. The inclusion of a fireplace or log burner brings a sense of comfort, ambience, and architectural character to a space. In areas prone to power outages or rising energy costs, a stove also offers an element of independence from the grid, an increasingly important consideration for both rural and suburban homeowners.
For developers pursuing low carbon credentials and high fabric efficiency, Ecodesign Ready stoves offer more than nostalgic charm. Their true potential lies in thoughtful integration: selecting certified appliances, using properly seasoned and certified fuel, ensuring airtight builds include adequate combustion air supply, and providing clear user guidance. With these elements in place, modern wood stoves can serve as efficient low emission complements to renewable technologies.
As the Future Homes Standard comes into effect and regulatory targets continue to tighten, developers who embrace well researched future ready heating solutions will be better positioned to meet both compliance requirements and buyer expectations. Wood burning stoves, when chosen and used correctly, can play a meaningful role in delivering homes that are low carbon, resilient, and rich in quality and comfort.
Peter Mintoft is managing director at Charlton & Jenrick