SIGNIFICANT STEPS NEEDED TO MAKE ALL HOUSING GREENER - ÖPIK

6.02.28pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 27th Mar 2008

SIGNIFICANT STEPS NEEDED TO MAKE ALL HOUSING GREENER - ÖPIK

Under the new Code for Sustainable Homes, social housing will have to cut carbon emissions by 25 percent in all new homes, but private developers are not obliged to make the same reductions until 2010.

Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire, has backed a parliamentary motion3 calling on the Government to review its carbon cutting timetable for housing and bring private developers into line with housing associations as soon as possible.

Commenting, Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire, said:

"While the introduction of higher environmental standards for new homes is warmly welcomed, tackling climate change needs commitment across the board.

"We can't approach this with a 'one rule for some, no rule for others' attitude.

"In addition to the environmental benefits of better housing, an energy efficient home will also cut fuel bills substantially. This is particularly important for those on fixed incomes such as pensioners.

"Environmentally friendly houses should be the norm rather than the exception."

Ends/diwedd

Notes to editor:

1. 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

2. The Code for Sustainable Homes measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the overall sustainability performance of a new home as a complete package using a 1 to 6 star rating.

From 1 April 2008 all homes built with government grant - the vast majority of which will be built by housing associations - are required to build to the standards set out at Level 3 of the Code, meaning a 25% reduction in carbon emissions over current building standards. Additionally these homes will be required to meet higher standards in the other categories laid out in the Code, such as water usage and waste management.

Private developers will not be obliged to build to Level 3 of the Code until 2010, and even then they will be required to meet the carbon reduction aspect only and will not be required to adhere to higher standards for the further categories.

From 2010 onwards housing associations will then be required to meet even higher levels of the Code in advance of private developers.

Table 1 shows the different timetables for building to the standards of the Code for Sustainable Homes (carbon reduction aspect only):

Code Level Housing associations comply by Private developers comply by

3 (25% CO2 reduction) 2008 2010

4 (44% CO2 reduction) 2012 2013

6 (zero-carbon) 2015 2016

3. Text of House of Commons Early Day Motion 1046 (Carbon Emissions and New Homes), tabled by Labour MP David Drew with Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs co-sponsors, reads:

"That this House recognises the need to improve domestic energy efficiency in order to tackle climate change and reduce fuel poverty; welcomes the introduction of carbon reduction targets for new homes; however notes that in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes all new homes built using government grant are required to reduce carbon emissions by 25% from April 2008, 44% from 2012 and to become zero carbon from 2015, whilst private developers will have until 2010, 2013 and 2016 respectively to meet the same targets; is concerned that if three-quarters of the housing market is allowed to lag behind in this way green technologies will not sufficiently benefit from economies of scale and prices will remain unnecessarily high, deterring product take up and imposing higher building costs on the affordable housing sector; and therefore supports the National Housing Federation's campaign asking the Government to commit private developers to the same environmental standards and timetable as housing associations as soon as possible."

EDM 1046 can be viewed at the UK Parliament website at http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35244&SESSION=891

4. For more information please contact Joe Dumont, Press Officer at the National Housing Federation at josephd@housing.org.uk or 020 7067 1028 / 07990 638946