Locally built homes better for the environment

Published: February 07, 2008

Using local builders and local materials to construct a house is far more sustainable than constructing mass-produced flat-pack properties.

That is according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), which said that locally-built housing is beneficial to the environment.

Although the organisation admits that mass-produced housing does offer some benefits, it believes that going local is the best way.

"In some ways they [flat-pack housing] can offer new innovations in building design and green technology," commented Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the FMB.

"I suppose one problem is about how you're transporting these flat packs across the whole country – that rather defeats the whole purpose of reducing carbon emissions," he added.

The government has set a target of making all new homes carbon-neutral by 2026.

Further to this, three million new homes are set to be built by 2020 as the government attempts to tackle the issue of a shortage of housing in the UK.