'Zero carbon' target in spotlight

The government wants all new homes to be carbon neutral by 2016

A major conference in southern Scotland is to study how UK Government plans to make all new homes "zero carbon" by 2016 can be achieved.

The Future Homes event in Dumfries is based around three key themes of design, build and planning.

It will look at how housing might develop in order to make each building more eco-friendly.

Organiser, the Crichton Carbon Centre, hopes the event can raise awareness about how emissions can be reduced.

Gary White, head of business development at the centre, said it was the only way forward.

The UK needs to wake up to this way of thinking

Chris Herring
Association of Environement Conscious Builders

"It is imperative that we know how to design, build and live in a low carbon home," he said.

"This involves knowledge about the supply chain and how each element interacts with the other.

"The goal of Future Homes is to push boundaries and present essential knowledge in an accessible manner."

One of the guest speakers, Chris Herring, chairman of the Association of Environment Conscious Builders (AECB), said the message was clear.

He said a simple "well-built, well-insulated, airtight house" was the best way to combat carbon emissions.

"The UK needs to wake up to this way of thinking," he said.

"We have the skills available, we just need to change people's attitudes to building, which is why we need events like Future Homes."