Ruth Kelly tours 'zero carbon' east London home

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly toured one of Britain's handful of zero carbon properties before today's launch of her Code for Sustainable Homes.

Ms Kelly was joined by Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday to view the green apartment in a new housing block near Bow, east London, admiring its wood pellet-fired boiler, solar panels - and vast plasma screen TV.

The flat is an example of the environmentally friendly standards that the Government wants to see for all new houses by 2016.

A zero carbon property generates more electricity from its renewable sources than it emits.

Ms Kelly insisted that the Government's goal of zero carbon for every new house could be met, even though the property on show was one of only "very few" currently in existence.

She chatted to architect Steve Harris about the energy saving solar panels, foot-thick walls and storage heating ceiling panels which allow the building to be heated and lit without a net supply of electricity from the National Grid.

Indeed, the homes are so energy-efficient that the occupant of the bedsit at the top of the building receives credit from his energy suppliers, instead of paying bills.

Hot water for the house is provided by a boiler powered by wood pellets. Three tonnes is enough to fuel the four flats for a year.

But Mr Brown and Ms Kelly were stumped at the sight of a huge flat screen TV attached to one wall of the flat.

They pointed at it, questioned its efficiency and giggled nervously before Mr Brown noted that at least it was switched off - rather than left on energy-wasting standby.

Mr Harris, from ZEDfactory, said just because someone lived in a zero carbon house, it did not mean they had to adhere to a certain lifestyle.

"We are not saying you have to live without a car or have to eat local organic food - people are their own free agents," he said.

"All we are doing is making the house someone lives in a zero carbon place. They can live there with a 4X4 outside - it's up to them."

The show apartment cost 15% more than a normal property and was bought by a cash buyer for £275,000.

One buyer was refused a mortgage because the property - despite its environmental benefits - was deemed to be worth only £235,000.

Mr Harris said stamp duty exemptions and a shift in estate agent attitudes would help: "There is a whole culture change that needs to happen."

Ms Kelly said the Code for Sustainable Homes being launched today would comprise six steps on cutting down carbon emissions.

She enthused about the show property: "People who said it wouldn't be possible have been proved wrong.

"It shows what is possible, the developers have told us they can match our ambition."

But she conceded that the Government must also focus on older, less environmentally friendly housing.

"We have got to do both. We have got to do everything we can to reduce emissions by 60% by 2005.

"We have to make sure that new homes are built to the highest possible standards.

"We are already making huge improvements with the Decent Homes Programme but you cannot afford to neglect the new houses that are being built."

But Roger Humber, strategic policy advisor to the House Builders Association, said the policy would jeopardise new home building with "excessive, eye-catching" requirements".

"Announcing that every new home will be 'zero carbon' within 10 years without also setting out realistic and implementable plans to deliver renewable energy on a large, commercial scale, is no more than gesture politics on a grand scale," he said.

"In publishing the Code for Sustainable Homes, ministers are in serious danger of encouraging local authorities to demonstrate their green credentials by making excessive demands for new housing schemes in a way that is no more than an expensive gimmick."

Mr Humber said a carbon offset levy on new homes would provide important revenue to improve existing housing stock.

"Expecting house builders to install wind turbines and other devices is a waste of money and will slow house building down," he said.

"Moreover, it leaves homeowners with a legacy of maintenance and replacement that many will be unwilling to accept, quickly making these installations redundant."

Copyright Press Association 2006