The UK Green Buildings Council, a newly created lobbying group, has appointed Paul King as its chief executive.

King was previously campaigns director for conservation group WWF and headed its One Million Sustainable Homes campaign.

He is a member of the government and industry taskforce on making all new homes zero carbon by 2016. He is also co-director of the environmental change programme One Planet Living.

King, who is expected to start work at the council in June, said: “I shall be taking forward the work I started on WWF’s One Million Sustainable Homes campaign.”

Peter Rogers, interim chair of the council, said: “We wanted someone who understood the industry, government and campaigning. Paul gave the right message. I worked with him on the Code for Sustainable Homes and he struck me as someone with gravitas.”