Civil servant in charge claims publication of guidance for Code for Sustainable Homes poised to be released and explains delay

The definition of zero carbon for new housing will be released within the “next few weeks” a leading civil servant claimed this morning.

Bod Ledsome, deputy director for climate change and sustainable development at the Department for Communities and Local Government, admitted that his department had had to spend more time copper-bottoming the standard to avoid “perverse outcomes” and leading the industry up “technological blind alleys”. The definition is necessary for the industry to clearly understand how to achieve code level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which will be required for all new housing in 2016.

Speaking at the Wood Futures Conference, Ledsome said the department needed to work through recent reports on the definition, including the one released earlier this year by the UK Green Building Council.

Ledsome said: “We think it is important that we get it as right as we can. We had to spend more time on analysis and understanding what the options really are for the definition. We are now in a position to finalise it shortly.”

The Wood Futures conference is taking place today at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Other speakers at the event include NHBC general manager and Zero Carbon Hub chief executive Neil Jefferson, Wolseley head of sustainability Tim Pollard and designer Wayne Hemingway.

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