NHF: New Government Code will cause 8.5m tonnes of CO2 emissions

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Tuesday, 01, Apr 2008 12:00

New Government code, launched on Tuesday 1 April, will unleash 8.5m tonnes of CO2 emissions from new homes

8.5m tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to the emissions of 11m 'passenger flights' across the Atlantic, will needlessly be released by new homes built up to 2016 - because ministers are not clamping down on private developers.

The Government's Code for Sustainable Homes comes into effect today (Tuesday 1 April) and is meant to ensure that CO2 emissions from new homes are drastically lowered.

However, there is a loophole in the proposed implementation of the Code.

And whereas housing associations, who build around a quarter of all new homes, will have to start drastically reducing the emissions from their new homes - private developers will not.

Under the Code, new homes built by housing associations will have to reduce their carbon emissions by 25% from Tuesday, and will have to reduce emissions by progressively greater amounts on a staged basis up to April 2015 - when all their new homes should be carbon neutral.

However, the Government is allowing private developers to join the fight to cut carbon emissions two years later and then reduce their carbon to a slower timetable - up to April 2016 - by which point all new homes in the country must be 'zero carbon'.

As a result, 8.5m tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to the emissions of 11m 'passenger flights' across the Atlantic, will needlessly be released by new homes built, by private developers, up to 2016.

Because of the loophole, the Federation believes the Government is in danger of missing its target to ensure all new homes are zero carbon by 2016. Currently, only 2% of homes built by private developers currently reach high sustainability standards, whereas, 92% of housing association developments meet the Government's 'excellent' or 'very good' Eco Homes standard.

The Federation, which represents housing associations, believes that if associations can meet such good standards in green house-building then ministers should compel private developers to do so as well.

National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr said: "Our research shows just how serious for the planet ministerial dithering, over private developers, will be.

"It's simply unacceptable that 6.4m tonnes of carbon will needlessly be pumped into the environment just because the Government is giving the private sector an easy-ride on the issue of sustainability.

"Ministers are facing in two directions on the issue of emissions. On the one hand they are saying it's an urgent issue and housing associations have to reduce emissions now. On the other hand they are saying that private sector developers can do what they like for another two years, and then work to a slower timetable until 2016.

"The Government needs to grasp the nettle and compel private developers to meet the same tough sustainable standards and timetable as housing associations now."

Mr Orr added: "It is absolutely right that housing associations are being compelled to meet tough environmental standards. However, because we're 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."

Ends

For press enquiries contact:

Joe Dumont, joed@housing.org.uk, 020 7067 1028 / 07990 638946

William Summers, williams@housing.org.uk, 020 7067 1031

Malcolm Struthers, malcolms@housing.org.uk, 0161 873 9445

The National Housing Federation represents 1300 independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England. Together, our members provide two million affordable homes for around five million people. www.housing.org.uk