Zero carbon 2016 plan is 'deluded'

• Increase image
• View all images

The House Builders Association has says that Government plans to make all homes zero carbon by 2016 are "deluded".

The body, which represents 1000 small and medium sized home builders, says that the Government had no idea what it was getting itself into when it signed up to the 2016 target.

HBA strategic policy adviser Roger Humber said: "It is now increasingly obvious that unless the definition of zero carbon is radically amended, it will require the generation of renewable energy, on site or locally, at levels that will be impossible to supply on most sites, particularly the majority of sites, which are small."

The association argues that, while Level 3 of the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes can be delivered by housebuilders increasing thermal efficiency of the homes they build, achieving higher levels relies entirely on the supply of renewables by the energy industry, mostly off-site.

While some demonstration projects have seen construction of code level five and six homes, the association claims that these would be commercially unviable.

The HBA has called on the government to reject the UK Green Building Council's proposed definition of zero carbon, announced last month, that it says would favour on site renewable energy production to achieve higher code levels

Mr Humber said: "We urge ministers to reject this proposed definition and to accept and encourage a far wider use of offsite renewable. This is the only option likely to be available on most sites, enabling smaller housebuilders to participate in progress towards lower carbon homes."