Inspace, the social housing specialist that is part of Willmott Dixon Group, has announced tough new targets in a bid to be the most sustainable house builder in the UK.

The company, which builds 1,800 new homes a year as well as repairing and maintaining a further 90,000, aims to send zero construction waste to landfill by 2012. It will also target a 100% increase in the number of local apprentices taken on, which is currently about 30 a year, as well as creating an annual community day from 2009 where all 1,400 employees provide time and skills to help community-based projects near their place of work.

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Inspace is also targeting the sustainable approach of its supply chain. It will put into place a system to benchmark the performance of suppliers and set targets for a consistent approach by all suppliers in areas like materials use, recycling and general awareness of sustainable practices. This will be backed up by training and support to help them achieve the Inspace standard.

One of the most ambitious targets is to reach zero reportable accidents on site by 2012. Brendan Ritchie, Inspace's Managing Director for innovation, sustainability and community said: "While these are targets are challenging, we also believe they are achievable for our business and it involves active engagement with our supply chain."

The company will also complete a thorough assessment of its carbon footprint by the end of 2008 and will publish targets for year-on-year reduction in the carbon generated.

(CD)