Be Seen Go Green

Government definition on what constitutes a zero-carbon home expected this summer

The vast majority of people in the UK’s property sector are sceptical about the industry’s ability to achieve demanding government targets requiring all new homes to meet zero-carbon standards by 2016.

That is the conclusion of a major new survey of 7,000 people from across the property and construction sectors, which found that 76 per cent regarded the government’s zero-carbon home target as “unrealistic”.

Similarly, 73 per cent of respondents said that a government target requiring all new commercial properties to attain zero-carbon status by 2019 was also unlikely to be met.

The survey from the British Property Federation, law firm Taylor Wessing and communications consultancy Spada, reveals growing disquiet across the industry about the demanding new targets.

However, it also confirms there is still widespread support for tighter green building regulations. A majority of respondents said they thought regulation would continue to drive improvements in building’s environmental performance, while 68 per cent said that sustainability was either “very” or ” highly” important to their business.

Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, urged the sector to work closely with the new government to develop workable green regulations.

“With an industry that is sceptical about carbon-reduction targets, closer collaboration between government and the industry is essential if these are to be met,” she said. “Government will need to work with all sectors to understand fragmented views and identify why certain sectors feel the targets are more achievable than others.”

Housing minister Grant Shapps recently confirmed that the government would retain the 2016 target for new zero-carbon homes, and it is widely believed he will also retain the 2019 target for commercial buildings. He also confirmed that the government will release the long-awaited definition of what constitutes a zero-carbon home this summer.

John Alker of the Green Building Council said that concerns over how the government will define zero carbon were central to scepticism about the viability of the 2016 target.

“Almost by definition, you need to know what will be required to meet the zero-carbon standard before you can assess whether it is achievable,” he said. “Once we know what the definition is, we’d expect confidence in the target to increase
The debate surrounding the definition of zero carbon centres on the extent to which builders can use offsite renewable energy technologies – so-called allowable solutions – to power new buildings.

Some housebuilders have warned that forcing them to install a wide range of onsite power-generating technologies will force up the cost of new homes, arguing that allowing them to invest in local renewable energy plants or district heating systems instead would provide a more viable means of attaining zero-carbon status.

Alker said that regardless of the final definition of zero-carbon homes, the industry faces a race to ensure that the 2016 target is met. “People recognise that these are ambitious targets, but that is the point,” he said. “The aim is to push the industry to rethink the way we design and deliver housing.”

In addition to concerns about the zero-carbon targets, the report, entitled Hitting the Green Wall and Beyond, also revealed that the sector is struggling to settle upon a standardised means of measuring a building’s environmental performance. Over 70 per cent of respondents said their business reports on sustainability metrics, but the survey found that they use a plethora of different benchmarking schemes to do so.

“The rationalisation of benchmarking tools and agreement over their application is needed,” said Helen Garthwaite, UK head of construction and engineering at law firm Taylor Wessing. “It is possible that some voluntary benchmarks could, in effect, become mandatory through industry promotion and use.”