UK Green Building Council chief executive claims environmental issues are considered as policy "add-ons" rather than central to political thought

UK Green Building Council chief executive Paul King called for politicians of all parties to put "a sustainable built environment at the heart of thier political narratives".

In an exclusive column on the Building website King says: "Too often climate change is cited as 'the most urgent of threats' but in reality the environment is seen as an add-on, an optional extra. I want to hear more from our politicians about the potential for quality design, in new and existing communities, to be central to our quality of life – socially, economically and environmentally." He adds that political parties should follow the lead of UKGBC members who are recognising that "a sustainable built environment is good for business, good for people and good for the planet".

King writes that he was relieved that prime minister Gordon Brown did not call a snap general election for next month, as it would send "into limbo" work that the UKGBC was working on in partnership with government, such as a code for zero-crabon non-domestic buildings.