2016 Commitment and Signatories
Climate change is real and happening. The recent Stern review made it clear that the science and the economics add up to a powerful case to cut emissions across the world - and quickly. The challenge is global but action must start at home.
Changes to our population and demographics have boosted demand for housing, and reduced affordability for many ordinary families. We need sufficient new housing at affordable prices to meet the current and future demand. This requirement represents a real opportunity to build homes fit for the needs of the future - homes designed and built in a way to reduce carbon emissions, to be resilient to climate change and to deliver high standards of customer satisfaction.
The Government has set out an ambitious timetable for the progressive tightening of building regulations (Part L) in 2010 and 2013, with the aim of achieving zero carbon new homes by 2016. This will be supported by the Code for Sustainable Homes, the Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change and stamp duty relief for zero carbon homes. Importantly, this timetable has been developed following consultation, and in partnership with, business, local government and green stakeholders.
If we meet the Government's housing ambitions, by 2016, we should be building an additional 240,000 homes every year, but these should not add to the carbon emissions associated with housing.
These are challenging ambitions. Much needs to be done to develop products and the supply chain, ensure the effective availability of appropriate energy supplies, meet skills requirements, invest in and disseminate research and understand customer requirements. Central and local government, together with the housebuilding, energy and construction products industry will all need to work together to achieve this. No one partner can realise the objective alone.
Many in these sectors, as well as the green NGOs, have told us of their support for the zero carbon homes 2016 target, the proposed changes to building regulations in 2010 and 2013 and their willingness to collaborate with each other within the proposed policy framework to achieve the target.
This Commitment is therefore established to formalise this support. It is an expression of real commitment from the undersigned that they will work in partnership together with the aim so far as they are able to do through such continued co-operation that:
- By 2016, zero carbon homes are a reality at the scale required to meet housing targets;
- Over the interim period new homes will meet the increasingly higher environmental standards as set out in building regulations; and
- They resolve the issues that need to be tackled to achieve the 2016 objectives.
This will include a shared endeavour to:
- Undertake, and commission the necessary research, using sound science, to find practical solutions that deliver homes that are affordable, durable, desirable and healthy places to live;
- Consult on and contribute to the key policy and regulatory changes and on how they will be implemented, and ensure compliance with the agreed national standards;
- Build a proper skills base in the relevant sectors and industries;
- Support efforts to communicate the importance of higher environmental standards to the wider industry and consumers, and raise awareness of the benefits;
- Be constructive and cooperative in our approach to delivering higher environmental standards in partnership, including comparing and sharing best practice.
The '2016 Commitment' is a statement of intent by the signatory parties and is not in any sense legally binding upon them.
If your organisation would like to sign up, please e-mail 2016Commitment@communities.gsi.gov.uk with the name of the organisation, together with the name and title of the person signing up the organisation.
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