Few zero-carbon homes expected before 2016

The UK Green Building Council has said that there will be relatively few zero-carbon homes made available prior to 2016, despite the fact that the industry is beginning to take steps towards carbon neutrality.

The government's aim of making all new homes carbon-neutral by that date is one that is sorely needed in order to stop inefficient building practices, the council has noted, but is unlikely to be translated into more efficient homes in the short-term.

Strict criteria on what constitutes a carbon-neutral property as well as an absence of existing legal requirements are contributing to such trends, though the latter factor is soon to be altered.

"It's not a legal obligation that zero carbon homes are built now, but what is happening is the building regulations are being increased in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes over the next nine years," noted UK Green Building Council public affairs manager John Alker.

"The important thing is that builders are getting ready to be able to provide zero carbon homes by 2016.

"The actual amount of zero carbon homes which are delivered before then is going to be relatively small," Mr Alker acknowledged.

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