29th November 2010 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today’s publication of the ‘Low Carbon Construction’ report by the Government’s Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) is the right road map to a low carbon economy but it needs a clear delivery plan backed by the Government if it is to succeed, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said:
“The IGT report is bang on about what needs to be done to bring about the green revolution in the built environment and achieve the UK’s legal obligation to cut carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. The Government, as well as the industry, needs to act on the recommendations and demonstrate its credentials to be the greenest government ever.”
Berry continued:
“It is very encouraging that the report finally acknowledges the importance of creating demand in the market to retrofit existing buildings. The recommendation to apply additional fiscal incentives to deliver the Green Deal is an essential one because without such incentives this flagship policy has little hope of success. Cutting the rate of VAT on energy efficient repairs would be the most obvious and simplest choice to kickstart the retrofit market.”
Berry concluded:
“The report is a business plan for the entire construction industry over the next forty years and offers a much needed sense of direction and aspiration to an industry struggling as a result of the recession. The Government is relying on the transition to a low carbon built environment to deliver economic growth as well as carbon savings. It now needs to act quickly and adopt the report’s findings to get things moving and to deliver the growth desperately needed.”
