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Industry experts have warned that delivering mainstream zero carbon homes will not happen until ministers agree an acceptable definition and even then a range of other factors will still need to fall into place.

A panel discussion hosted by 好色先生TV at the Ecobuild conference on Wednesday heard that challenges for zero carbon homes include rates for carbon offsetting 鈥渁llowable solutions鈥� and final detail of Part L building regulations that standard homes must be built to.

Mark Farmer, head of residential at consultant EC Harris, said there had been a 鈥渃ross-party political failure鈥� to give enough clarity on technical specifications and carbon-reduction expectations, coupled with a reluctance to jeopardise the delivery of new homes by imposing too many requirements. 鈥淲ill the mainstream zero-carbon home ever happen? No. I don鈥檛 think it will,鈥� he said.

Farmer added that the industry also lacked the capacity to upscale housebuilding to a target level of 240,000 new homes a year and deliver those properties to new, more exacting standards.

Barny Evans, sustainability and energy consultant at WSP, said there was also a mismatch between cost-effectiveness and the notion of truly zero carbon homes,

鈥淵ou can have low-carbon homes that are costly to run,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to focus on delivering good homes that are low carbon.鈥�

Rory Bergin, partner at HTA Design, said ways of establishing the extra worth of properly functioning low-carbon homes would be crucial to make their construction viable. 鈥淲e need to actively involve new mortgage lenders,鈥� he said.

鈥淎t the moment some firms don鈥檛 want to build zero carbon homes because they can鈥檛 sell them for more money.鈥�

Debbie Alpin, managing director at Crest Nicholson Regeneration added that mortgage lenders also saw zero carbon homes as high-risk because of the technology involved, while customers were 鈥渧ery nervous鈥�.