Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, is appointed ambassador for Build with CaRe. She will serve as an overall figure head in Europe acting as a spokesperson for the project and promoting the aims of the partnership.

“It is an honour to be asked to serve as ambassador on such a progressive, innovative and important project as Build with CaRe, says Mrs Lambert."

“With the building sector accounting for almost 40 per cent of the European Union’s emissions, Build with CaRe’s mission to make energy efficiency in building design the norm is not only hugely commendable but a necessity if we are to reach our EU goals for cutting carbon emissions.”

Mrs Lambert, a former teacher from Walthamstow, East London, has been London's Green MEP since 1999 and in October 2005 was named MEP 2005 for her work on Justice and Human Rights. She is one of the UK’s two Green MEPs and one of nine cross party MEPs representing the Greater London region. She is Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance political Group in the European Parliament. Mrs Lambert works on a wide range of social and environmental issues and is engaged in the policy discussion on energy efficient buildings in Europe.

“Implementing the European Performance of Buildings Directive so that the public sector will be owning and renting buildings with ‘near zero’ energy standards by the end of 2018 will  secure far-reaching benefits for climate change, energy and the economy that future generations will be able to enjoy. Furthermore, setting energy targets on existing building stock is key if we are to stand any chance of hitting European and global climate targets by 2050, says Mrs Lambert.”

“Clearly, the market will not achieve these objectives without substantial policy intervention.  I look forward to helping raise the profile of this important project in the European Parliament and beyond."

Mrs Lambert campaigns to improve energy efficiency in housing and has written a report "Hothouses: Climate Change and London's Housing" warning that without a radical rethink over the UK’s housing emissions we will fail to meet targets and combat climate change.  In London emissions from the domestic sector count for 37 per cent, that's higher than transport emissions and the greatest of any English region. This figure stems from London's energy inefficient solid wall housing stock, which makes up more than half the total, about 1.7 million houses.

The report makes 27 recommendations to improve energy efficiency in housing which include:

- The UK Government needs to ensure early full compliance with Article 7 of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, in particular the requirement for Energy Certificates for all rental properties;
- All pensioners in private housing should be eligible for Warm Front and similar schemes tackling fuel poverty – including free insulation;
- Targets need to be set for the number of homes to have cavity wall insulation and figures and rates need to monitored yearly and be reported to Parliament.  Data by region and tenure should be produced;
- Insulation measures need to be made an explicit priority of the Decent Homes Programme.  Local authorities, registered social landlords and all other agencies implementing decent homes need to make insulation improvements their priority area of action;
- Eligibility and availability of grants and interest free loans need to be extended significantly.  More proactive initiatives are needed to increase take up by those eligible;
- VAT on all energy saving measures, including DIY materials should be reduced, preferably to a zero rating.