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Demand for green houses 'on the rise'
13/10/10
Edited by Andy Jowett.Builders in the UK are experiencing rising demand for green homes - and the trend is only going to gather momentum, according to one expert.
Anwar Harland-Khan, chief executive of Sustain Worldwide, which works to promote the benefits of sustainable construction, materials and technologies, said a combination of tougher environmental legislation, the need to tackle higher fuel costs and greater buyer awareness of ecological issues means the market for this type of residential property will "undoubtedly increase".
"This will create an upper tier in housing and second home specs, which in turn will carry a premium," he added.
Mr. Harland-Khan's comments come after the Green Homes 2010 report from real estate specialist Knight Frank found that builders are ready to support the government's drive for more environmentally-friendly abodes, but they need a final definition on what "zero carbon" will mean.
Under the previous administration, then-housing minister John Healey said all new properties would have to be zero carbon by 2016, but a detailed standard was never published.
Shortly after coming to office in May, current housing minister Grant Shapps said it is crucial that builders have a clear description so they can "start to design the homes of the future".
However, the coalition has yet to deliver a final version of the standard.
