All new homes would be “zero carbon” within three years under Labour plans to tackle the housing and climate crises at the same time, the party said.
A Labour government will introduce a new “zero carbon standard” so that day-to-day running of the home will not add additional carbon to the atmosphere.
The party said the plan could save people living in new builds £200 a year in energy bills, and could mean that all new homes are fitted with solar panels, super-efficient insulation and triple-glazed windows, and are not fitted with fossil fuel heating systems such as gas boilers as standard.
An original zero carbon homes standard, set out by the last Labour government, was due to come into force in 2016, but was scrapped by the Conservatives in 2015, the party said.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Homes should be safe and warm for families and not damage the environment for future generations. But our housing currently contributes a massive 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“We will tackle the housing and climate crises at the same time by building warm and energy efficient homes.
“At this election, the choice is clear – this is our last chance to take action to protect future generations or allow the Tories to accelerate our planet’s destruction.
“The next Labour government will usher in a Green Industrial Revolution to tackle climate change and create hundreds of thousands of green jobs.”
John Healey MP, Labour’s shadow housing secretary, said: “The Conservatives’ decision to cave in to property developers and slash green standards means we are building homes today that aren’t fit for the future – they’re bad for the environment and expensive to run.
“After nearly 10 years of the Conservatives outsourcing housing policy to commercial house builders, we need a Labour government that will set common-sense rules which save households money and cut emissions.”
