'Zero-carbon' house plans begin

A quarter of UK emissions come from homes

UK house builders are to start planning for what Gordon Brown has told them will be a carbon-free future.

It follows the chancellor's announcement in his pre-Budget report that "within ten years every new home will be a zero-carbon home".

Such houses would be exempt from stamp duty for a limited period of time, starting next year, he announced.

House builders are surprised by the news and see moving all new building to this standard as "a challenge".

At present, more than a quarter of carbon emissions come from households, adding greatly to global warming.

But Mr Brown did not say how his ambition would be achieved, with precise details not expected until the next Budget.

There have also been calls for the chancellor to clarify what would constitute a zero-carbon home.

But, speaking after Mr Brown's announcement, a spokesman for the Treasury said that what the chancellor meant by a zero-carbon home was one that did not make an overall contribution to global warming.

That could be achieved by having solar panels or wind turbines that produce electricity.

Experts say only a handful of houses currently have the technology to be zero-carbon under Mr Brown's definition.

Critics say the cost of making a home zero-carbon will push up property prices, outweighing any tax exemption.

The ambitious move was announced within the pre-Budget report, which also saw increased taxes on flights and a greater commitment to energy efficiency.