Constructing excellence

Oct 12 2007 by Iain Laing, The Journal

DURING the last few days, another two organisations have highlighted serious issues around zero carbon homes and the Government’s targets.

I had to agree with the Home Builders Federation’s assessment of the situation when it referred to the pointlessness of the exemption of stamp duty land tax for new zero carbon homes. With virtually no truly zero carbon homes in the UK – less than 100, in the HBF’s view – and little progress since the announcement in the Budget, the gesture is arguably meaningless.

As the Treasury prepares to set out its definition of what constitutes a zero carbon home for stamp duty land tax purposes, the HBF also argues that too much emphasis has been placed on the carbon emissions from individual homes.

Instead, they say, the view should be taken on developments as a whole, rather than micro-examining each home.

Again, I couldn’t disagree.

Elsewhere, the Construction Products Association has been expressing concern that the Government is failing to allocate enough resources to the effort. Their argument is that the 2016 target is being threatened because insufficient resource is available to develop compliance tools for low and zero carbon buildings.

More must be done to ensure the revised Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) – the calculation method for energy costs relating to space and water heating – is completed ahead of the new Part L building regulations in 2010.

Without wanting to sound like a Government basher, I would certainly also be an advocate for this second case against those overseeing the zero carbon legislation, as well as those holding both carrot and stick.

These and many other messages are coming fast and furious through all channels of the media, week by week.

However, with an eight-year countdown ticking away before weather conditions really start to affect traditional building methods – and even timber frame construction, I would also add my own thoughts.

Primarily, we need to be looking more closely at the need for material changes to ensure the buildings we develop now and in the longer term are truly sustainable. After all, sustainability is far more than simply energy efficiency.

With sustainability so high on the agenda, it seems the advice to those in Government is coming through in a scattergun, piecemeal fashion – long after the targets have been set. Surely, what we really need is a combined industry voice, delivering a unified view covering all such areas. While truly zero carbon homes are a myth, carbon neutral is a realistic opportunity for change, but we have yet to hear the Government’s definition of zero carbon after years of debate.

We must make a difference in the way we are building homes and other property, and it is right that there are targets set for compliance. However, these goals must be widely recognised by the construction industry as achievable.

For more information on Constructing Excellence in the North East, please contact regional director, Catriona Lingwood, on 0191-3837435 or catriona@constructingexcellence-ne.org.uk.

Lynda Peacock is director of development and regeneration, Three Rivers Housing.