Professionals who work with brick tools and others in the construction industry could benefit from proposals set out by the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) in a call to the government.

The organisation has welcomed the leaders' plans to cut emissions by ten per cent from central government buildings but it argued that such measures should be introduced up and down the country.

As the nation's biggest commissioner of construction works and one of the largest occupiers of property, the government should "lead by example" and put the built environment at the heart of their efforts to fight climate change, Paul King, chief executive of the UK-GBC said.

The Liberal Democrats manifesto pledged a zero-carbon Britain by 2050 and the association has advised that properties are the place to begin fulfilling that promise.

Having already expressed its approval at the appointment of Grant Shapps as housing minister, the UK-GBC is now pushing for further action in the building of zero-carbon homes.

It believes this measure will create jobs and encourage the new low carbon-industry.

Written by Andrew Miles.