Environmental concern in light of anthropogenic climate change will impact the housing sector as one of the major energy-consuming and carbon dioxide producing sectors. For new housing, currently the most important policy to combat this issue is the Code for Sustainable Homes. The social housing sector is under obligation to comply with these standards, which entails a significant increase in the cost of housing delivery. The sector is also under pressure to increase much-needed housebuilding, without increased funding being available. The quandary facing the sector is how to achieve both aims. Therefore any policy, such as the Code, which impacts on the ability of the sector to deliver unit numbers must be truly effective at delivering its own main aim. This paper explores the current situation, with a preliminary analysis of how the Code may not be able to deliver its 'sustainable energy' goals due to the ways in which 'low and zero carbon technologies' are assessed and how they behave in real world situations. It demonstrates that further research and policy changes are needed to deliver sustainable energy for this sector and ensure the delivery of crucial new housing is not hampered whilst also failing to meet energy goals. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.