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Green and sustainable building worth £2.6bn to UK economy

03/02/2010 16:47:50

Environmentally-sound building could provide a £2.6 billion boost to the British economy, according to a new report.

Green and sustainable building could be worth £2.6 billion to Britain's economy.

That was the claim made by a report published this week by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment.

The foundation believes the construction of new homes to tough environmental standards would create in the region of 90,000 new jobs.

Such a boost to the economy following the longest recession for half a century would be widely welcomed.

"Complicated, high-tech solutions that require a specialised workforce can achieve energy efficiency, but add little value to the local economy," Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince's Foundation, told Property Week.

"Selecting natural materials, which are produced nearby, retain values and strengthens relationships between firms."

The government plans to dramatically increase the country's housing stock to reduce price pressure and has introduced stringent environmental standards for developers.

The housing market is showing signs of recovery following the downturn, with figures out this week suggesting housing construction has returned to growth.

Posted by Rachel King
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