Friday 14 May 2004

Nine developments made it through to the second stage of judging and a unanimous decision was made that both developments should win the award.

The awards were launched in October 2003 by The House Builders Federation (HBF) and WWF with the aim of encouraging sustainable housing.

Comprehensive criteria for the award included:

• Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.


• Ecological value of the land - how development has protected and/or enhanced biodiversity.


• Minimisation of waste - resulting from both construction and the lifestyles of residents.


• Water efficiency and recycling, sustainable urban drainage.


• Airborne pollution levels and use of toxic chemicals.


• Health and well-being.


• Access to public transport and amenities.

Developments that didn't win the award but met the criteria have been awarded a 'sustainability standard' and will be able to fly a flag on the site and to use the standard logo in all marketing material relating to the site.

Zoë Barnes, HBF marketing manager said: "Interest has been extremely high in this first year of the awards. Sustainability is a key issue for the house building industry and is fast becoming a key consideration for many buyers when deciding which house to buy."

She continued: "We want to encourage more house builders to be involved in sustainability and be rewarded for their efforts as Greenwich Millennium Village Ltd and The Liverpool Housing Action Trust have."

Paul King, Director of WWF's One Million Sustainable Homes (OMSH) campaign said: "It's great to see more examples of homes which are a pleasure to live in and gentle on the environment entering the mainstream of housing in the UK."