A target of zero tolerance

Everyone's going on about it. Zero carbon housing, the green dream of New Labour. No more tinkering around with a bit of extra insulation here, a bit more airtightness there. When it comes to carbon emissions from new housing, by 2016 the government wants to see all of it producing a big fat nothing.

Is it an achievable goal? Actually, yes I think it is. I totally support the boldness of the vision, and it's nice to have something we can really get our teeth into. It is the first time government has given a long-term target which everyone can and will align towards.

I believe it's in tune with what the home-buying public want too. Two recent polls have spelt it out loud and clear: 70% of mortgage holders agree that new developments must be energy efficient, and a separate MORI poll showed that UK homeowners really are prepared to pay more to live in a sustainable home.

Developers need to respond to this demand, both political and social. But I also know they need to ensure 'buildability' – a predictable, durable and low risk method of housebuilding that won't create defects or problems for future generations. That's why timber frame offers a really good solution. It's the original modern method of construction, tried, tested and trusted.

Existing technology

I firmly believe that timber frame can deliver near zero and zero carbon homes today. The timber frame industry in the UK is already developing the technology and building practices that will allow housebuilders to meet this target, and I believe that the use of timber frame makes it both commercially and technically feasible.

In fact there are several advanced timber frame houses being built now that will demonstrate low to near zero carbon standards. Stewart Milne Timber Systems and Kingspan Offsite are building such homes at BRE's OFFSITE07 exhibition and the properties will be on view for the next two years.

Of course, timber frame manufacturers will work with the government and the housebuilding industry to make use of the technology, incorporate it into volume housebuilding and help to manage the process of culture change that will inevitably entail.

But what of our own suppliers? How well is the rest of the timber industry geared up to meet the challenges of the next 10 years? The harsh truth is that we need to see the supply chain move faster than it's used to.

To achieve approval at the top levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes, I need to show that all timber components – windows, roof trusses, skirtings, OSB, the lot – come with demonstrable chain of custody and CPET compliance. That's now.

Raising the bar

And tomorrow the bar will rise again. True zero carbon means looking at embodied energy, the environmental impact of making every part of a timber frame building, as well as transport and importing timber into the UK, and how the carbon emissions from all this can be offset. That means working now on ways towards clear and credible carbon auditing throughout the supply chain.

Waste minimisation is another area where we need to see faster progress. Recycling of wood waste is not too bad, but there's too much packaging and plastic waste in our industry. That needs designing out.

The commercial reality is that all this will cost money. Ultimately, I believe the timber industry has never had such a magnificent window of opportunity to showcase its credentials and capture the zero carbon housing market. But to do this we need new ways of working, and we need everyone to become actively involved in finding ways to drive out inefficiencies and costs that do not add value.