The Government's Code for Sustainable Homes came into effect yesterday on Tuesday 1 April. Its aim is to ensure that CO2 emissions from new homes are drastically lowered.

However, whereas housing associations, who build around a quarter of all new homes, will have to start drastically reducing the emissions from their new homes by 25% from 1 April and will have to reduce emissions by progressively greater amounts on a staged basis up to April 2015 - when all their new homes should be carbon neutral - private developers will not.

Private developers will not need to cut carbon emissions until two years later and then reduce their carbon to a slower timetable - up to April 2016 - by which point all new homes in the country must be 'zero carbon'.

The Housing Federation, which represents housing associations, believes the Government is in danger of missing its target to ensure all new homes are zero carbon by 2016.

Currently, only 2% of homes built by private developers currently reach high sustainability standards, whereas 92% of housing association developments meet the Government's 'excellent' or 'very good' Eco Homes standard.

National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr said:
"It's simply unacceptable that 8.5m tonnes of carbon will needlessly be pumped into the environment just because the Government is giving the private sector an easy-ride on the issue of sustainability.

He continued:
"The Government needs to grasp the nettle and compel private developers to meet the same tough sustainable standards and timetable as housing associations now."