Zero Carbon Hub has announced it will cease operations on 31st March 2016.
Established in 2008 as a public/private body to help achieve the government’s target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016 into practical regulation, ZCH has supported house-builders’ efforts to improve sustainability and energy efficiency.
Members of the Zero Carbon Hub were Construction Products Association (CPA), Home Builders Federation (HBF), Homes and the Communities Agency (HCA), Local Government Association (LGA), National House-Building Council (NHBC), Robust Details Ltd and UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC). Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is also represented on the Board.
Following the decision by the current government to abandon its zero carbon target, industry funding for the Zero Carbon Hub has been withdrawn.
Paul King, chair of Zero Carbon Hub’s board said: "Zero Carbon Hub has been remarkably successful in bringing together a wide spectrum of stakeholders with an interest in the world-leading zero carbon target across public, private and third sectors. It has been a model of collaboration between industry and government, helping translate policy aspiration into reality. I would like to thank the many individuals and organisations who have supported us on this remarkable journey and their commitment to improving the quality of new homes.”
Zero Carbon Hub chief executive Neil Jefferson said: "I am extremely proud of what Zero Carbon Hub has achieved in the past eight years and very grateful for the hard work of its dedicated staff. Since we embarked upon this journey, the industry has come a very long way and Zero Carbon Hub has made a significant contribution by engaging government, industry and consumer interests and successfully translating policy ambitions into practicable standards and guidance."
Andrew Orriss, head of business development at SIG360 – a key contributor to the research carried out by the Zero Carbon Hub – voiced disappointment at the news. “Unfortunately, the closure of Zero Carbon Hub (ZCH) was inevitable given that the current government has a very weak carbon agenda. As well as the scrapping of the Green Deal and the time extensions to the energy companies obligation, there is clear lack of commitment to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes.
“In 2000, the government proposed to eliminate fuel poverty by 2016, however this target is far from being achieved. The use of fit and forget systems such as insulation could have helped them achieve that target, as supported by ZCH, without the need for expensive renewable energy systems.
“The intelligent approach ZCH has given to the industry in providing solutions on key issues such as the much talked about variances between as design and as built buildings – known as the performance gap – will be much missed.
“We are extremely disappointed by this lack of government support which has led to the closure of ZCH, however we hope that the industry can continue to deliver the first class work that was carried out by the organisation in improving the energy efficiency of homes and raising building standards.”
The Zero Carbon Hub website containing all the work carried out in the past eight years will remain available.
www.zerocarbonhub.org
