The UK government set a bold green target that all newly built homes would be carbon-neutral by 2016 as a response to the agenda of tackling increasing global warming issues. In consideration of the authors’ previous studies of the obstacles that have been contributing to limiting the delivery of zero carbon affordable homes in Scotland (i.e. the absence of clear definitions of housing affordability and zero carbon homes and the house-builders’ unfamiliarity with passive environmental design techniques and active renewable energy technologies), a Design Charrette approach being implemented for the developments of sustainable homes and communities in Canada was reviewed and experimented in collaboration with the Scottish house-building industry. This paper documents the authors’ charrette experience in collating the industry’s response to Canadian low energy affordable housing design strategies, which had been learned through their visits to the construction sites in Canada, and examines the potential application for the production of zero carbon affordable homes in the Scottish context, which the authors are currently in charge of the research and development.