The new National Centre for Housing Excellence looks set to play a key role in co-ordinating research on how zero carbon housing is to be achieved by 2016. Headed by former Concrete Centre residential buildings manager Anna Scothern and chaired by MP Nick Raynsford, the National Centre has been established by joint funding from the NHBC Foundation and Building Research Establishment. Launched late last year, it aims to become a central hub for the housing sector to share information on issues such as sustainability and design. The Centre has now put itself forward as an ideal candidate to co-ordinate research undertaken as part of the industry’s drive to meet the government’s zero carbon housing targets. Scothern, who attended the recent HBF-convened environmental summit, said: “There was a strong call for collaboration in research. It was massively encouraging to hear housebuilders agree that it is better if we all invest together. We need a central hub from which research is gathered and disseminated, and it would be fantastic to see the National Centre play a key part.”