WIREDGOV

The ‘Zero Carbon Hub Wales’ is a coalition of key members of the building industry, housing and voluntary sectors who are committed to helping Wales achieve its carbon reduction targets.

The Assembly Government has an aspiration to achieve ‘zero carbon’ new build by 2011. It is also committed to reducing green house gases in Wales by 3% a year from 2011 in areas of devolved competence. This new group will play a key part in achieving this.

The hub will provide leadership for those who want to cut emissions from all buildings, promote commercial opportunities from low carbon building and investigate what skills and training are needed to achieve this in the construction industry.

The new group will also co-ordinate the 53 organisations who have signed up to Wales’s Green Buildings Charter, the first of its kind in the UK.

Making the announcement, Environment, Sustainability & Housing Minister Jane Davidson said:

This new and exciting group is another step forward in Wales’s battle against climate change, demonstrating how we are taking real action to make a difference.

The built environment is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in Wales. The way in which we construct and use our homes and other buildings accounts for 40% of our total carbon emissions. It is vital that all our new buildings are energy efficient and as green as possible.

This ‘Zero Carbon Hub’ and our green buildings charter are a demonstration of the coalition of the willing, of how diverse groups from all over Wales are ready to use their voice and powers to help Wales reduce its carbon footprint.

Peter Davies, Vice Chair (Wales) of the Sustainable Development Commission, said:

Cutting emissions from buildings is vital in tackling climate change. Our homes account for a quarter of carbon emissions. So I’m delighted that the construction industry in Wales is rising to that challenge. With the formation of the Zero Carbon Hub Wales, I hope that even more organisations will sign up to building a greener Wales.

Chris Jofeh of Arup has agreed to chair the hub, while Jeff Perren, who is currently leading the Zero Carbon Support Programme of the Assembly Government, will become the Director.

Related Links

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/climate_change/?lang=en