UK Green Building Council will use Ecobuild to call on the government to boost green agenda

The nation is in danger of missing out on the financial and social benefits of more energy efficient buildings if the government fails to “keep pace with industry”, the UK Green Building Council is set to warn.

The sustainabilty lobby group will use the Ecobuild conference this week to call for the government to revive its commitment to the construction sector in Wednesday’s Budget.

In a speech to the conference’s opening day, UK Green Building Council chief executive Paul King will call for ministers to match the ambition shown by the private sector and create an environment in which industry can invest with confidence in new green services and industries.

King will say: “Sixty-thousand people from across the construction and property sector are at Ecobuild this week, not because they want to save the planet, but because they see the potential for green growth. George Osborne needs to show the same vision in the Budget. 

“There are three things that government needs to deliver in this Budget - confidence, confidence, confidence. That means driving take-up of the flagship Green Deal scheme; providing incentives for businesses to invest in energy efficiency; and encouraging industry to invest in the skills needed in a low carbon future.”

The Green Building Council said King would call on climate change minister Greg Barker to “keep up the pressure on colleagues across government to ensure we make the most of the tremendous opportunity that green design and construction can play in the UK’s economic recovery”.

Ecobuild takes place at the ExCel centre in east London.

Building is hosting a full programme of events at Ecobuild, which takes place at ExCeL in east London. Click here for full details.

 


Topics