Zero Carbon Plan to stifle Green shoots!
This week, the government published its consultation document on their plans for Allowable Solutions, the mechanism by which developments can achieve Zero Carbon Status after 2016. Allowable Solutions are meant to ensure if a development cannot achieve Zero Carbon onsite, there is an allowance for developments to contribute to other offsite Carbon Saving Schemes.
Even though the Zero Carbon Hub, the body set up to oversee the progress to Zero Carbon buildings in 2016-2019, first set out plans over two years ago and then published a review document in September 2012, this week’s document still presents options and no solid proposals for exactly how the scheme will work and more importantly, how much developers will have to invest.
The government’s response to questions over the lack of detail within the document was that the policy would cost the housebuilding industry a maximum of £224 million per year, with a cap on the amount needed to meet their Zero Carbon obligation through allowable Solutions.
The Housebuilding industry’s response has been to warn government that the lack of any concrete proposals, could damage confidence and the current fragile recovery in the house building industry.
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