Budget: UKGBC disappointed by 'wasted opportunity'

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has slammed the government for "missing" an opportunity to use the Budget to put sustainability at the heart of the country's economic recovery.

It welcomed the additional funding for energy efficiency and low carbon buildings in today’s Budget, but said the measures fell short of what it had hoped for.

Paul King, Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council said:

“The Chancellor’s announcement that carbon emissions will be cut by 34% by 2020 is a historic commitment. But targets need to be backed up with action.

“It’s good to see extra money for cutting carbon in social housing, additional investment in low carbon new homes and some funding of green refurbishment in public sector buildings. Government has sensibly provided additional funding for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, which will make a real difference to some of the UK’s emerging green businesses.

“But this falls short of a comprehensive strategy to put low carbon buildings at the heart of economic recovery. More could have been done to really make green refurbishment affordable and attractive to home owners, businesses and the public sector, in order to both cut carbon emissions and create green-collar jobs.  This is a wasted opportunity to map a truly low carbon route out of this recession.”