U.K. Housing Minister Calls on Industry to Support Green Housing Initiatives

August 20, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

U.K. Housing Minister Yvette Cooper came out in support of an agreement with housebuilders and councils designed to make zero carbon housing a reality within 10 years. Cooper urged other partners in the industry to follow suit and "sign the green pledge."

Some members of the homebuilding industry, councils, green groups and homeless organisations already pledged their support for the government's housing agenda by signing up to Communities and Local Government's 2016 Commitment, which includes a goal of building 240,000 new zero carbon homes a year by 2016.

The text of the agreement signed by the founding members was publicly unveiled in early August.

According to Communities and Local Government, the cross-section of support for the commitment will help ensure that the homes produced over the next decade are designed and built in sustainable ways, which in turn will help reduce carbon emissions, while still delivering desired communities.

The commitment formalises ongoing work between ministers at Communities and Local Government and those involved in the housing sector. The parties agreed:

• All new homes will be built to zero carbon standards by 2016.
• Over the interim period, new homes will be built to increasingly higher environmental standards.
• To work closely together to resolve obstacles to reaching these targets.

"Our homes currently produce 27% of all carbon emissions. We were the first country in the world to announce a zero-carbon target for new homes," Housing Minister Cooper said. "We have to build more sustainable homes and more affordable homes at the same time. This cannot be achieved without the commitment and support of local councils, homebuilders, the construction supply industry, other housing groups and local communities across the country."

Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), said, "The time for blaming others is past; what we need to do is to pull together to realise the zero carbon target by 2016. Government, industry and NGOs all have important roles to play, in ensuring that the homes we are building for the future minimise energy demand and meet any remaining needs from renewable energy sources."

Source: U.K. Communities and Local Government.