Industry experts discuss future of green homes

Experts from the construction industry are to meet with government ministers today to discuss the future of green homes.

This follows an announcement by communities secretary Ruth Kelly last month that the government plans to make all new homes zero carbon by 2016.

Zero carbon homes are defined as ones that produce as much energy as they consume, with microgeneration and improved energy efficiency playing a key part.

Ministers say these homes will be crucial in helping the government to meet its emissions reduction target of 60 per cent by 2050.

Today''s meeting aims to bring ministers and construction companies together to discuss how best to achieve the government''s targets on zero carbon homes whilst also maintaining its commitment to building more affordable housing.

There has been some concern that carbon zero homes will cost more to build and will therefore undermine these objectives, but John Slaughter from the Home Builders Federation has insisted this will not be the case.

"That''s what we''re trying to thrash out today," he told BBC Radio Five Live. "We''re looking very much at how you can do both."


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