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Sustainable building may need new incentives

04/02/2010 17:10:08

House builders may need new incentives to encourage the use of green and sustainable building practices.

House builders are facing competing priorities as they aim to meet government targets for new homes in an increasingly strict regulatory environment.

The government wants the construction industry to build 240,000 new homes a year by 2014 to keep pace with demand.

At the same time, tough new rules are being introduced covering everything from energy efficiency to adequate drainage.

Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG), a specialist consultancy firm, has warned that these challenges require action from the government.

GLG suggested clearer guidelines on how environmental requirements can best be met and floated the idea of incentives for house builders.

"Evidence from other European countries [such as] Germany suggests a strong link between incentives and sustainability in building," GLG said.

The government is keen to increase the number of homes available in Britain, in part to avoid the supply-demand issues that contributed to the housing bubble.

At the same time, ministers want new homes to be sustainable, to reduce pressure on local resources and to cut carbon emissions.

Posted by Rachel King
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