黑洞社区

Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of the National House-黑洞社区 Council, has accused the government of 鈥渨asting a year鈥� in its drive to make new homes zero carbon by 2016.

Farookhi voiced his frustration at the launch of an NHBC Foundation report into domestic microgeneration technologies this week. He said little progress had been made since the establishment of the 2016 working group last year.

He criticised the government for its failure to commit funding for research into domestic renewable technologies. He said: 鈥淢eeting this target is going to be more difficult than the Olympics but we鈥檝e not had a formal commitment from the government on research and development. In the private sector, we鈥檙e keen to work with the public sector to take this agenda forward.鈥�

Farookhi also attacked the government鈥檚 failure to set up a body to help the industry achieve the targets set out in the Code for Sustainable Homes, as recommended in John Callcutt鈥檚 review of housing delivery.

He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 desperately important that we have a co-ordinating body that project-manages progress from now until 2016.鈥� He added that the government needed to mount a campaign to prepare consumers for the higher standards laid out in the code.

The NHBC Foundation鈥檚 analysis of microgeneration technologies questions the usefulness of installing turbines on domestic residences but says progress is being achieved on solar-powered water heating.

John Tebbit, technical director of the Construction Products Association, said he agreed with Farookhi鈥檚 criticisms over the urgency of preparing the industry to meet the code. He said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e 14 months on and, as yet, there is no delivery body or money. We鈥檙e 14 months down and we only have 100 to go.鈥�

The report follows last week鈥檚 announcement that Barratt Developments has teamed up with energy supplier E.ON to provide renewable power in the UK. To begin with, the deal will provide power for 10 sites, including the English Partnerships Carbon Challenge 200 unit scheme at Hanham Hall, near Bristol. This will be 鈥渢he UK鈥檚 first zero-carbon community鈥�.