It has also published a new consultation for energy efficiency in non-domestic buildings
The government has published its response to the consultation on the Future Home Standard – revealing how it plans to improve the energy performance of new homes.
In its 114-page response to the consultation, which centred on changes that will be implemented through Parts L (energy) and F (ventilation) of the building regulations, the government said all new homes would be required to be highly energy efficient, with low carbon heating and be zero carbon ready by 2025.
These homes are expected to produce 75-80% less carbon emissions compared to current levels. To ensure industry is ready to meet the new standards by 2025, new homes will be expected to produce 31% lower carbon emissions from 2021.
Existing homes will also be subject to higher standards – with a significant improvement on the standard for extensions and a requirement for replacement, repairs and parts to be more energy efficient.
This includes the replacement of windows and building services such as heat pumps, cooling systems or fixed lighting.
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There will be transitional arrangements in place to provide all developers with certainty about the standards they are building. These will last for one year and apply to individual homes, rather than an entire development.
Christopher Pincher, housing minister, said improving the energy performance of buildings was vital to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
He said: “The radical new standards announced today will not only improve energy efficiency of existing homes and other buildings but will also ensure our new homes are fit for the future, by reducing emissions from new homes by at least 75%.
“This will help deliver greener homes and buildings, as well as reducing energy bills for hard-working families and businesses.”
The government has also announced a consultation on higher performance targets for non-domestic buildings in the hopes they will be zero carbon ready by 2025.
This consultation, which is the second stage of the two-part consultation on proposed changes to Part L and F, will set setting out energy and ventilation standards for non-domestic buildings, existing homes and includes proposals to mitigate overheating in residential buildings.
The former will be achieved via a new requirement for additional ventilation and indoor air quality monitoring in high-risk non-domestic buildings such as offices and gyms, reducing the risk of any potential infections being spread indoors.
The latter will be addressed via a new overheating mitigation requirement in the building regulations.
The consultation sets out proposals for a Future Buildings Standard, is intended to ensure a route to highly efficient non-domestic buildings which are zero carbon ready.
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