It emerged that a tough new set of building standards to be introduced by the Housing Corporation could require housing associations to re-evaluate the energy efficiency of their dwellings.
The Ecohomes XB standard, to be launched in May, has been drawn up by the Building Research Establishment. It is part of the Corporation's efforts to meet the Government's targets on environmental sustainability and will apply to homes that housing associations have already brought up to the decent homes standard.
It is argued that, although adopting of the new standard has an initial cost implication for associations, in the longer term it will lead to huge savings for tenants.
Environment Minister Elliot Morley saw first-hand how businesses and communities in the East Midlands are setting an example to the rest of the country when it comes to living and working for a sustainable future.
Mr Morley's visit to Chesterfield, Mansfield, Ollerton, Edwinstowe, Nottingham and Leicester was part of a national tour, which took in green housing developments, energy-saving public sector schemes and business efforts to reduce water use, waste and power.
Mr Morley said: "It is vital that everybody gets involved in sustainable development. That goes for public authorities, who can set an example and lead the development of new markets - for example in timber procurement; businesses, who can save millions of pounds by cutting waste and their use of resources; individuals, who can make more environmental choices in their daily lives; and communities, who can come together to implement projects such as recycling and improving local environmental quality."
Mr Morley's tour included the BRITE Centre in Leicester. The Minister met representatives of environmental charity Environ as well as local families who have benefited from its programmes, including the pioneering Braunstone Solar Streets project. The photovoltaic panels, which transform the sun's rays into electricity, are the crowning glory of 50 recently renovated houses. This £500,000 project will make Braunstone, which is undergoing a massive regeneration through the New Deal for Communities scheme, a leading light for renewable energy.
Source: www.24Dash.com
