We have a fairly new government (just over 3 mths.) in power and the Green Party are coalition partners for the first time.
Today, two of their government ministers (Environment and Energy/Natural Resources) announced that as of July next year, all new houses being built must be 40% more energy efficient to be achieved by solar, heat exchange, better insulation, etc. This should result in a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions.
The Construction Federation are complaining that isn't enough time ......but I'm pretty certain they'll find a way....they'll have to!! Unfortunately, an awful lot of houses have been built in the last decade, but at least this is step in the right direction.
Good to see the Greens in government and making a mark!! Wonder if this could be adopted in the U.K.??? Anyway, just thought I'd share some positive news!!
Interestingly in the UK i think it was the building federation who recently said about 90% of Housing Association (public housing) homes in the UK were meeting the highest environmental standards, compared with just 2% of new builds in the private sector.
I know someone who lives in a Housing Association home and had solar water heating installed about a year ago.
Also i know the current rating system for new builds in the UK is pretty pathetic. A new home gets so many points for each feature, such as insulation thickness or effectiveness. But a builder can get points for things like providing a 'user' manual and for installing A rating washing machines.
Which means that they could get an 'excellent' rating for a new build, with quite mediocre insulation, by accumulating points on stuff that is basically trivial and not very permanent.
Originally posted by solargain: Also i know the current rating system for new builds in the UK is pretty pathetic. A new home gets so many points for each feature, such as insulation thickness or effectiveness. But a builder can get points for things like providing a 'user' manual and for installing A rating washing machines.
Which means that they could get an 'excellent' rating for a new build, with quite mediocre insulation, by accumulating points on stuff that is basically trivial and not very permanent.
Obviously different countries have different systems/regulations, but I was hoping when the Greens actually got into government here that they would "walk the walk" so to speak.
Changes don't happen overnight but I think when you make what looks like a radical decision, people (in this case the builders) will have to step up to the mark.
As far as public vs. private housing, there is no difference in that the standards must be met by both. Councils here often purchase housing from the private sector anyway, to meet the demand.
I thought that Gordon Brown would be "greener"....I don't know why I thought that!! Has there been any push at all since he became PM towards a greener agenda??
Labour are IMO two faced when it comes to the environment, it reflects in the UK emissions totals. They have been flat since labour got into power, if Labour had done something about transport total UK emissions would have gone down. But transport emissions have steadily gone up, whilst industrial and domestic emissions have gone down. Having said that, UK industrial emissions have been exported to other countries, in reality if you included exported emissions, then our industrial emissions are up as well.
Lets hope the Green party in Ireland isn't as mentally challenged as the Green Party Councillors in Oxford, responsible for some insane road traffic policies which only serve to increase CO2 emissions, for instance closing off certain streets from one direction, so that the only access is via a several mile detour around the ring road. There are also the bus over-friendly policies which sees bus lanes given priority at traffic lights, so that the streams of cars, (most on legitimate business rather than lazy consumers driving to supermarket) seldom move - the buses being so slow that the lights go back to red before the cars get a chance. And when the lights go green again... another bus comes in... Sheer madness.
Originally posted by moreteavicar: Lets hope the Green party in Ireland isn't as mentally challenged as the Green Party Councillors in Oxford, responsible for some insane road traffic policies which only serve to increase CO2 emissions, for instance closing off certain streets from one direction, so that the only access is via a several mile detour around the ring road. There are also the bus over-friendly policies which sees bus lanes given priority at traffic lights, so that the streams of cars, (most on legitimate business rather than lazy consumers driving to supermarket) seldom move - the buses being so slow that the lights go back to red before the cars get a chance. And when the lights go green again... another bus comes in... Sheer madness.
What is legitimate business? How many of those driving are working in a business that is ecologically friendly?
