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About 25% of all our emissions come from our homes, so key to new house building is reducing these emissions from new and existing homes. For new homes, the paper proposes three key targets for sustainable housing:

? All new homes to emit 25% less carbon from 2010;

? All new homes to emit 44% less carbon from 2013;

? All new homes to be zero carbon from 2016.

The paper says:

?We are under no illusions about the challenge of delivering the twin ambitions of increasing housing supply and raising environmental standards in housing. We need to ensure that the environmental standards we want are not introduced in a way which delays building the homes we need or prevents those new homes from being affordable.

?So we need to build in a way that helps our strategy to cut carbon emissions ? both through reducing emissions from new homes and by changing technology and the markets so as to cut emissions from existing homes too. We want to see a volume of new development which will deliver economies of scale and bring down the costs of environmental technologies that could apply not only to new homes but to existing homes also.?

In response to these targets, Friends of the Earth's housing campaigner Paul de Zylva, said:

?The Government must insist that all new homes are carbon neutral by at least 2010. Our homes are responsible for over a quarter of UK carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon zero homes can already be built so there is no not need to wait until 2016 for the Government to act on this.

?Individual homes must meet the highest environmental standards, and new housing developments must be sustainable. This means ensuring that new developments have clear plans for water supply, waste disposal and protection from flooding caused by extreme weather events. And local communities must also have a say on how and where new houses are built.?

Neil Sinden, Policy Director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said:

?There is a long way to go before we can say we are providing the kind of housing we need where it is needed. We now regret the poorly designed, high rise, single tenure estates of the 50s and 60s. We need more not less planning if we are to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and achieve the Green Paper?s aspirations.?

The Government will also be introducing policies to reduce water usage, aiming for a maximum of 125 litres of water per person per day, ?representing an improvement of almost 20% on current national usage levels.?

It is estimated that today's existing housing will represent two thirds of the housing stock in 2050. In order to encourage raising the eco-standards for these homes, besides the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates, a new programme of work is being initiated across Government, led by the Technology Strategy Board, its remit being to ?accelerate the development of cost-effective solutions to building new zero carbon homes, and will tackle key challenges to upgrading the existing stock.?

The paper does not announce any new initiatives for householders to improve their homes beyond the existing schemes which offer grants for insulation and microgeneration.

Michael Ankers, Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association, said:

?Whilst overall we welcome the green paper, we are disappointed that it does not address the problems of existing housing. Based on current building and demolition rates around 70% of current housing will still be in use in 2050. This existing stock is the most energy and water inefficient, with far too many properties not of a 'decent' standard. It is important that the government addresses the standards for existing stock alongside those for new houses.

?The government must act to incentivise those who purchase older properties to implement improvements identified as beneficial in the new Energy Performance Certificates. The government should also consider whether it is appropriate to continue to charge the full rate of VAT on products that will help householders save energy and water.?

From October, the government intends making stamp duty zero rated for zero-carbon homes on their first sell.