GOVERNMENT ‘IN DANGER’ OF MISSING TARGET FOR ALL NEW HOMES TO BE ZERO CARBON BY 2016
National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr warned today (Friday 21 September) that the Government is in danger of missing its target to ensure all new homes are zero carbon by 2016.
Speaking at the Federation annual conference, at the ICC in Birmingham, Mr Orr revealed that while 92% of housing association new homes are already meeting minimum sustainable standards only 2% of new homes built by private developers do so.
He said this means that private developers are already a long way behind in the drive to cut CO2 emissions from new homes – and unless ministers intervene now, private sector developers will simply be unable to meet the 2016 deadline. He added this concern is shared by the Association for the Conservation of Energy.
Housing associations currently build a quarter of new homes in England, with 92% of the homes they build meeting minimum sustainable standards.
From April 2008, ministers have said that the same proportion of housing association new-build must meet even stricter standards, meaning they will emit 25% less CO2 than conventional homes. By 2016, housing associations will be compelled to ensure that all their new homes are zero carbon.
However, the Government is not compelling private developers to join the same mandatory timetable to reduce emissions. And – given that only 2% of new private homes currently meet minimum sustainable standards – there are widespread fears that private developers will not be able to meet the Government’s stated target for zero carbon emissions by 2016.
Mr Orr said: “Currently, private developers are not being compelled to meet minimum standards on greenhouse gas emissions at all. In fact, they are being allowed to put their profits ahead of the survival of future generations.
“It’s time that ministers legally locked private developers into the same timetable as housing associations. We have long been calling for the Government to ensure that from April 2008 all new private homes emit 25% less CO2. And we would like Ministers to make certain that all new privately-built homes are zero carbon by 2016, at the very latest.
“Unless the Government compels the private sector to meet the same standards, and timetable, private companies will simply try to wriggle out of their environmental duties, saying it costs too much.”
He added: “Housing associations are being compelled to meet tough environmental standards and - given the seriousness of climate change - that is right. However, as we are the only ones using sustainable building methods, the supply chain is artificially expensive and housing associations are having to shoulder the cost. This is unfair. And, in effect, ministers are getting us to do the private developers’ research and development on the cheap.
”Some private developers argue that the supply chain of sustainable materials can’t deliver in line with the timetable we are calling for, but if it can deliver for housing associations, then it can deliver for everyone.”
Mr Orr said that reducing the carbon footprint of new homes is particularly critical, as one third of CO2 emissions come from the nation’s housing stock.
He went on to say: “Given the seriousness of climate change, it is only right that the Government is compelling housing associations to meet such tough, environmental standards.
“Housing associations are rightly very proud of the excellent work they are doing to build environmentally-friendly homes.
He added: “I am very proud to be leading a sector at the forefront of meeting the environmental challenge. The task ahead is for the rest of the building sector to follow our lead and for government to require it of all of us.”