Introduction

The UK Government is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and tackling climate change - one of the most serious threats facing us today. It has set a long-term goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. With homes accounting for around 27 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions, it is clear that there is a need to change the way we have been building our homes and communities.   
With this in mind and following a public consultation, Communities and Local Government published Building a Greener Future: policy statement in July 2007. This policy statement confirms the government's intention for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016 with a progressive tightening of the energy efficiency building regulations - by 25 per cent in 2010 and by 44 per cent in 2013 - up to the zero carbon target in 2016.

The commitment to protecting and enhancing the environment is demonstrated in other areas. For example, Government is:
looking at ways of improving the energy and water efficiency of existing homes;
looking for opportunities to include exemplars of sustainable development in our housing;
and making sure that developments include important green spaces which are vital to people's health and wellbeing.

Energy Performance of Buildings

New measures to improve the energy performance of our buildings.
Buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions. 
Communities and Local Government has introduced measures in England and Wales to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, including:
introducing energy performance certificates (EPCs) for properties providing A-G efficiency ratings and recommendations for improvement
requiring public buildings to display energy certificates (DECs)
requiring inspections for air conditioning systems
giving advice and guidance for boiler users
Since October 2008 all properties - homes, commercial and public buildings - when bought, sold, built or rented need an EPC. Larger public buildings also need to display an energy certificate.
This work is part of European legislation - the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive - which all member states must adopt.

Zero Carbon Homes

In July 2007, following consultation, the Government's Building A Greener Future: Policy Statement announced that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016.
In December 2008 the Government published Definition of Zero Carbon Homes and Non-Domestic Buildings: Consultation consulting on the definition of zero carbon homes and in particular an approach based on:
high levels of energy efficiency in the fabric of the home
a minimum level of carbon reduction to be achieved onsite or through directly connected heat; and
a list of (mainly offsite) allowable solutions for dealing with the remaining emissions (including from appliances)
In Budget 2008, the Government also announced its ambition that all new non-domestic buildings should be zero carbon from 2019 (with earlier targets for schools and other public buildings). Pending in depth consultation in 2009, the Government's thinking on zero carbon non-domestic buildings is set out in Definition of Zero Carbon Homes and Non-Domestic Buildings: Consultation.
The Government is also supporting the Zero Carbon Hub, an industry-led delivery body formed to take forward practical delivery of the zero carbon homes policy. 

Code for Sustainable Homes

On the 27 February 2008 the Government confirmed a mandatory rating against the Code will be implemented from 1 May 2008.
The Code measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the 'whole home' as a complete package. The Code uses a 1 to 6 star rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a new home. The Code sets minimum standards for energy and water use at each level and, within England, replaces the EcoHomes scheme, developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
The Code will provide valuable information to home buyers, and offer builders a tool with which to differentiate themselves in sustainability terms.

New Buildings and Water

On 23 July 2007 Communities and Local Government published a joint policy statement with Defra on Water Efficiency in New Buildings to accompany the Housing Green Paper. It details how the Communities and Local Government intends to bring forward regulations for setting minimum standards for water efficiency in new buildings. This follows on from the widespread support for proposals in the consultation on Water Efficiency in New Buildings published in December 2006.

New Non-Domestic Buildings

Communities and Local Government is working with a steering group of senior industry representatives to consider what can be achieved and over what timescale in terms of low and zero carbon new non-domestic buildings

Exemplar Developments

The Carbon Challenge is run on behalf of Communities and Local Government by English Partnerships. The programme will act as a test bed for the Code for Sustainable Homes helping pave the way to building zero carbon new homes by 2016.
The Carbon Challenge was launched on 7 February 2007 and will build on the success of the Design for Manufacture Competition.  The lessons learned about skills and technologies will be disseminated to the home building industry and its supply chain helping them gear up to meet the new standards.
Sites will be offered for sale subject to demanding criteria requiring high standards of design and construction.  These will deliver high quality zero carbon communities that are both affordable and sustainable.  The homes must achieve level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Eco-Towns

The Eco-towns Prospectus was published on 23 July 2007 and sets out the vision and outline criteria for eco-towns, and how the Government can support projects. 
The Eco-towns Prospectus sets out the Government's vision for new towns of 5-20,000 homes.  These towns will be exemplar "green" developments, and will be designed to meet the highest standards of sustainability, including zero carbon technologies and good public transport, as well leading the way in design, facilities and services, jobs, health, and community involvement.  The Prospectus is accompanied by an invitation for local authorities and other stakeholders to respond with their views on potential sites over the next few months.

Improving the environmental performance of existing housing

Work on the environmental performance existing buildings is being taken forward on a number of fronts, in collaboration with various government departments and key external stakeholders:
Energy efficiency in existing homes - The Energy Efficiency of Dwellings - Initial Analysis was published in November 2006 and work is continuing; 
Energy efficiency in existing non-domestic buildings;
Water efficiency in existing domestic and non-domestic buildings;
Climate change resilience and adaptation

Sustainable Development

'Securing the Future', the UK Government's 2005 strategy on sustainable development sets out the Government's aim to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations.  To find out more about what Communities and Local Government is doing to contribute to sustainable development, visit their sustainable development webpage.