Sustainable Building Task Force

The Group is employed with identifying specific, cost-effective, improvements in the quality and environmental performance of buildings which industry can deliver in both the short and long term, together with further actions that Government could take to facilitate faster progress.

Members will focus on key areas such as water and energy savings, the use of timber and other construction materials, and waste reduction.
The group - launched at the Better Buildings Summit in October 2003- contains leading figures from the energy, timber and water industries, as well as representation from house builders, developers, local and central government.

In order to do achieve this objective, the Task Group will look at four areas where the Government sees a need to significantly improve the quality of buildings to deliver higher standards of environmental performance in support of sustainable development in new communities but also through refurbishment and renewal.

These areas are:

• Water
  
  
• Energy
  
  
• Timber and other construction materials
  
  
• Waste reduction

The Group will need to consider which mechanisms could best achieve this in the context of current and future regulatory requirements. Among the mechanisms to be considered are:

• The role of Government in providing incentives for innovation
  
  
• The promotion of long term planning for dynamic improvement
  
  
• The promotion and adoption of best practice, including potential for the use of voluntary agreements
  
  
• The best means of sharing experience between designers, builders and utilities.

Visit the DEFRA press release