Saving you energy on home hunting
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| GOING GREEN: A typical kitchen in one of the new Haslam Homes properties that are designed to be more energy efficient |
HOUSE builders and designers have less than eight years to grapple with the technologies which will make the government's Code for Sustainable Housing possible.
The aim is that all new houses built from 2016 onwards will be carbon neutral.
Among the building companies taking stock of the issues is Haslam Homes, which specialises in building for first time buyers in East Lancashire.
Plans are in hand for phase 2 of its Spinner's Court development in Accrington, while its Cotton Mills site in Burnley is soon to be followed by a new development in Cog Lane, which will offer a choice of apartments and two, three and four bedroom houses.
All the houses will be built to Eco Very Good' standard, the industry independent rating for energy efficiency, water use, ecology and land use. Haslam's North West regional managing director, Trevor Jee, said: "In everyday language sustainability simply means the ability to operate as a business by balancing economic progress, care for the environment and the well-being of society at large.
"Our experience is that first time buyers are very aware of all the issues surrounding sustainability.
"They quiz us about anything from energy efficiency to what we do to create local jobs and environmental projects.
"Sustainable development is not a quick fix. It's a long journey that ultimately brings about fundamental change within organisations. And it begins with a recognition that we must all aim to reduce the negative impact of human activities on our global environment.
"We are trustees of our environment and communities, and need to manage our developments in a way that they can be successfully handed on from generation to generation."
He continued: "Government has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by the year 2010 - sustainable architecture can make a major contribution to meeting this target.
"Structural design is responsible for about 45 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
"Improving construction technology and cutting edge designs mean that new homes will increasingly have less impact on our environment."
l One good place to find out what new green building products and services are available and how they can be cost-effectively integrated into building projects will be The Eco Homes Show, part of The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, which gets under way at the NEC tomorrow, April 10, and runs until Sunday.
10:20am Wednesday 9th April 2008
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