You might think the built performance of new homes against energy targets was something of a technical issue. One for the propellerheads at the BRE. Not a bit of it. Last week's hand-grenade lobbed by junior communities minister Andrew Stunell into the discussion about just how energy efficient today's new homes are has detonated into a fully-fledged industry-wide debate over the future of new homes. Stunell was speaking - or grandstanding, as one unnamed housebuilder described it - to the Lib Dem conference last week when he said the government's zero-carbon target risked becoming an "empty slogan" because of the industry's failure to meet designed targets. Based on the evidence of detailed assessments of a small number of homes, and in the teeth of deep frustration from housebuilders over his choice of language, he will now set up a new committee to tackle the issue - despite the fact there are already working groups set up to deal with the problem by the communities department, and meetings between industry figures and the government over the summer.
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