Measures to make homes greener could be undermined by local authority targets

Responding to measures announced to make it easier for people install green technology on their homes, HBF Executive Chairman, Stewart Baseley, says:

“The home building industry is committed to working with Government to meet the greatest peacetime challenge in its history: building all new homes to zero-carbon performance standards by 2016.

“Measures to cut red tape and make it easier for people to adopt renewable energy solutions are undoubtedly a welcome step. More generally, local authorities could play an important role in empowering developers, energy supply companies and individuals to work out the best local solutions for new and existing homes going forward.

“However, if we are to achieve the 2016 objective, it is critical that local authorities do not set their own building performance standards or energy requirements. Attempts to achieve self-imposed targets ahead of the Government’s timeframe run the risk of products failing, customer confidence being undermined and housing output declining. With England’s growing shortfall of 60,000 homes every year, this is a situation in which no-one wins.”