SUSTAINABLE HOUSING AND ZERO CARBON

As our ISO14001 accreditation proves, we're good pals with the environment here at White Space. That's why we particularly love working with property developers who are also taking their green responsibilities seriously.

There's a terrifying stat out there somewhere claiming that by 2050 we'll need the equivalent of 2 planets to provide the resources we so voraciously consume. Hence, the importance (or should that be, necessity) of sustainable housing.

Since 2010, a mandatory Code for Sustainable Homes has been in effect for new builds, with the aim of limiting the environmental impact of housing. New homes are assessed on energy efficiency, construction materials, waste and pollution, health and well-being, ecology and the effect the development has on the water table. They are then awarded a star rating (1 - 6), with a 3-star rating being the minimum requirement.

Here are a few examples of some of the eco-friendly things our property clients are doing with their high-quality developments...

Our new client Ingram Homes are currently developing Cary's Meadow, an environmentally-friendly build in Norwich, which is making use of the latest energy-saving technologies and renewable heating systems.

And they're not the only ones. Explore Living are using innovative construction methods to ensure unsurpassed insulation for the Martins Way development in Stevenage; Higgins Homes are building an environmentally sensitive development on the site of the former Royal Jersey Laundry in Redbridge Lane East, Ilford; and Grosvenor are creating Trumpington Meadows, a 350-acre sustainable development nr Cambridge - expected to be completed by 2016.

This is definitely a step in the right direction to achieving carbon neutral developments, but a recent report suggests it's the consumer that really needs to change its thought process. The green developments highlighted above are all well and good, but what happens when the buyer puts location, location, location before triple-glazing and solar panels?

"Some buyers aren't interested in the eco message, so it's important to sell the benefits (more light and space, lower bills etc), not the features."

That's where we come in. There's a lot of "greenwash" in mass marketing these days, carbon footprint this and climate change that, and it gets largely ignored. We can help you tailor your message and filter out the noise in what is still a tough market. Ok, so not everyone will appreciate the features of a green home, or it might not top the list of things they're looking for, but we'll ensure you're targeting and engaging the right buyers at the right time with the right product.