Green issues on back burner as election campaign hots up

Following Greenpeace's rooftop stunt last week, in which campaigners installed a £10,000 photovoltaic panel (PV) to deputy prime minister John Prescott's home, the Building Research Establishment (BRE) said the election is clouding PV funding issues.
BRE senior consultant Monica Munzinger told CJ it is unclear what will happen when PV funding runs out next year. "The Department of Trade & Industry said there are plans for a programme, but it's not clear what that will be with the coming election," she said.
The grants have prompted an increase in the number of PV panels and companies installing PVs, she added.
Greenpeace campaigner Mark Strutt said the organisation is lobbying the government for zero-emission homes. "If homes are going to last for 50 years, they should use the best technology.
"The revisions to the Building Regulations should go further - we want zero emissions," he said.
Environmentalists also left low-energy light bulbs and loft insulation for Prescott, although it is unclear if they recommended a low-energy contractor to install them.