Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
(): I am today announcing a package of changes in
relation to Part L and F of the Building Regulations. This
includes the Government’s Response to the 2019 Future Homes
Standard consultation and the launch of the Future Buildings
Standard consultation.
40% of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions arise
from the way buildings are lit, heated and used, and homes - both
new and existing – account for 22% of emissions. Therefore, if we
are to meet our ambitious target to reduce the UK’s carbon
emissions to net zero by 2050, we must improve the minimum energy
efficiency standards of new buildings and homes. By improving
energy efficiency and moving to cleaner sources of heat, we can
reduce carbon emissions, lower energy consumption and bills for
households and ensure that we will be the first generation to
leave the environment in a better state than we found it.
I am publishing the Government’s response to the Future Homes
Standard consultation of 2019. This was the first stage of a
two-part consultation which proposed an ambitious uplift in the
energy efficiency of new homes through changes to Part L
(conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations.
The Future Homes Standard will deliver a considerable improvement
in energy efficiency standards for new homes. We expect that
homes built to the Future Homes Standard will have carbon dioxide
emissions 75-80% lower than those built to current Building
Regulations standards, which means they will be fit for the
future, with low carbon heating and very high fabric standards.
The interim uplift to energy efficiency requirements will act as
a stepping stone towards the full Future Homes Standard, and
should result in a meaningful and achievable 31% in carbon
emissions savings compared to the current standard. We anticipate
that a two-stage approach to implementing the Future Homes
Standard will help to prepare the necessary supply chains and
appropriately skilled workforce by encouraging the use of
low-carbon heating in new homes, while accounting for market
factors.
The Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for a green industrial
revolution noted that we must implement the Future Homes Standard
within the shortest possible timeline. Therefore, our priority
will be to implement an interim uplift to the energy efficiency
requirements for new homes and non-domestic buildings as swiftly
as possible. This key stepping stone will enable us to
successfully implement the Future Homes Standard and Future
Buildings Standard. We have also listened to those stakeholders
that called for a swifter and more certain pathway to
implementation. Our work on a full technical specification for
the Future Homes Standard has been accelerated and we will
consult on this in 2023. We also intend to introduce the
necessary legislation in 2024, with regulations coming into force
from 2025. In the meantime, to provide greater certainty for all
stakeholders, we have published a draft notional building
specification for the Future Homes Standard alongside this
consultation response which provides a basis on which we can
begin to engage with all parts of industry on the indicative
technical detail of the Future Homes Standard.
To ensure as many homes as possible are being built in line with
new energy efficiency standards, transitional arrangements will
now apply to individual homes rather than an entire development
and the transitional period will be one year. This approach will
support implementation of the 2021 interim uplift and as such the
successful implementation of the Future Homes Standard from 2025.
I am also publishing today the Future Buildings Standard, which
is the second stage of the two-part consultation. This
consultation builds on the Future Homes Standard consultation by
setting out energy and ventilation standards for non-domestic
buildings, existing homes and to mitigate against overheating in
residential buildings.
The Future Buildings Standard consultation proposes changes to
the Building Regulations and primarily covers new and existing
non-domestic buildings. This includes an interim uplift of Part L
and Part F requirements for new and existing non-domestic
buildings. The interim uplift will also encompass existing homes,
meaning that when works take place in an existing home, such as
an extension to a property, the work carried out will need to
meet the standards set by building regulations – these
requirements will not apply to the wider building. It also
proposes some changes to requirements for new homes, including to
the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard; some standards for
building services; and to guidance on the calibration of devices
that carry out airtightness testing. Finally, it details a new
standard for mitigating overheating in new residential buildings.
Together, the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard
set out a pathway towards creating homes and buildings that are
fit for the future; a built environment with lower carbon
emissions; and homes that are adapted to the overheating risks
caused by a warming climate. By making our homes and other
buildings more energy efficient and embracing smart and low
carbon technologies, we can improve the energy efficiency of
peoples’ homes and boost economic growth while meeting our
targets for carbon reduction.
