It’s the time of year that we traditionally make resolutions and predictions about the coming year. So why change a habit? Here’s what we at whatgreenhome.com predict will happen in 2008 in housebuilding worldwide. And, for good measure, we throw in a few resolutions that we think the industry and governments would do well to adopt.

2008 promises to be the year that the overseas property industry truly wakes up to the threat of climate change and its role in the process. In the UK our homes account for 27 per cent of CO2 emissions (the built environment 48 per cent) – and there’s no reason to assume that this isn’t the case globally.

Driven by public opinion as well as by legislation and political initiatives, housebuilders in Britain are beginning to create low-carbon, zero-waste and sustainably built properties. In many countries, sustainable housebuilding is not as co-ordinated as in the UK, but there are many fine examples of eco-homes being built.

In Spain, 30 minutes inland from Alicante, on the Costa Blanca, Gran Mononvar Ecocuidad is an eco-development underway that incorporates solar energy and grey-water recycling among other initiatives. Portugal has several sustainable communities in development, including Mata de Sesimbra, near Lisbon, that promises to be the global eco-flagship.

We would like housebuilders worldwide to resolve to embrace the concept of sustainable development. There are now enough examples worldwide of good, well-managed eco-projects that demonstrate the concept is viable. Critics argue to build ecologically is prohibitively expensive but only when sufficient numbers begin to build this way will construction costs fall and the supply chain get up to speed.

We would like the British government to resolve: to scrap or at the very least reduce to 5 per cent VAT on the installation of renewable technologies; to facilitate the reduction of council tax bills for high energy performing homes; and to introduce feed-in tariffs for electricity sold back to the national grid from individual household micro-generators.

We’d also like to see the British government continue to look at providing renewable energy from wind, wave and carbon-capture schemes. News of large off-shore windfarms around the UK, which if implemented fully would provide the electricity needs of every home by 2020, is welcomed, but now is the time to commit further not say the solution is with us.

So what predictions can be made for the coming year? We think the fact that people will begin asking eco questions of developers – for the first time in significant numbers – in itself will become something of a trend. Several surveys demonstrate we are beginning to ask the questions when buying a property in the UK, so why wouldn’t we also do so when looking to buy abroad?

The public – ever more so – wants a first or a second home overseas. That’s not going to change in the short- or medium-term. If we demand eco-homes, the developers will provide them. Climate change isn’t going to disappear but – if we want to save the planet badly enough (and what’s the alternative?) – scientists claim it can be managed, and sustainable housing has a large part to play in the process.

We also predict that there will be large numbers of companies entering the market claiming ‘green’ credentials. Some of them will be genuine, many won’t be. A number of housebuilders will over claim their eco-credentials as a marketing ploy. Beware! Ask challenging questions of them, and stick with credible sources, such as whatgreenhome.com, to assist you in your search for a truly sustainable eco-home.

Best wishes for 2008.