Isra-Mart srl : Zero carbon U-turn is 'realistic'

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Isra-Mart srl news:

The government's U-turn on its definition of zero carbon homes is more realistic and pragmatic, one housing professional has said.

Writing for the Green Building Press, Richard Baines, head of sustainability at Black Country Housing Group, suggested that the changes seen in the Plan for Growth that accompanied March's Budget is the sensible approach to take in making goals for sustainable construction, which are more likely to be met.

Under the plans, homes will no longer be measured on the energy use from home appliances. Rather, zero carbon will only apply to emissions from energy use in fixed heating and lighting.

Mr Baines noted that this will mean all new homes will have to meet Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes by 2016 rather than Level 6.

Indeed, he suggested that Level 6 "was always going to be unrealistic" as technology for on-site generation is not yet cost-effective.

"However, the new changes to zero carbon do not remove the imperative to design and build 'super-insulated' homes that are air tight," he remarked, adding that affordable renewable energy systems should still be installed.