Policies that will influence the Government’s review into Part L – what changes can we expect?

(Originally published on the LABC Warranty website.)

Later in 2019 the Government intends to issue consultations for England and the Welsh Government for a review of Part L of the Building Regulations (England and Wales), due in 2020. But what can we expect to come out of the review? Existing policies that will likely inform the review give away big clues, as we explain here.

History of energy efficiency in Building Regulations

It’s worth taking a quick look back at how energy efficiency – and Part L – has evolved over the decades, before considering its future.

Energy efficiency in homes has its roots in efforts to control condensation, dating back to provisions made in 1962 and previously through the Public Health Act 1936. It wasn’t until 1972 that energy conservation measures were introduced.

The 1984 Building Act laid the groundwork for Part L, a functional requirement to “make reasonable provision for the conservation of fuel and power.” A 1995 update focused on energy efficiency but it wasn’t until 2002 that the first reference to CO2 was made. A year later the EU-driven Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) was adopted, which calculated whole-building carbon emissions for the first time. These measurements (SAP for dwellings) became the new way to show compliance from 2006.

In 2008 the UK produced its Climate Change Act and there was a further tightening of standards in 2010, but since then, aside from updates for replacement gas boilers, Part L has not been significantly altered.

That will likely change in 2020. Here are the policies whose aims may drive changes to Part L.

Building a Britain fit for the future: Industrial Strategy white paper

Despite the title, the Government’s Industrial Strategy white paper is driving the review into Part L for residential buildings as well as non-residential. The paper sets out four “challenges”, one of which – the Clean Growth Challenge – has a mission to at least halve the energy use of new buildings by 2030. The mission includes the following objectives:

• Making sure every new building in Britain is safe, high quality, much more efficient and uses clean heating
• Innovating to make low energy, low carbon buildings cheaper to build
• Driving lower carbon, lower cost and higher quality construction through innovative techniques
• Giving consumers more control over how they use energy through smart technologies
• Halving the cost of renovating existing buildings to a similar standard as new buildings, while increasing quality and safety

In his 2019 spring statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond also signalled that a “future homes standard” would aim to end the use of fossil fuel-based heating systems in all new homes from 2025.

The Government recognises that “decarbonising heat is our most difficult policy and technology challenge to meet our carbon targets.”

Consultation and tests for new standards promised in the Clean Growth Challenge

The Government has made the following commitments in updating Part L requirements:

Strengthening standards for new homes: The Government will consult on strengthening energy performance standards for new homes under Building Regulations, including “futureproofing new homes for low carbon heating systems.”

Strengthening standards for work in existing homes: Again, the Government will consult on making improvements to Building Regulations so that “any new work…to existing properties meets a high standard of energy efficient.”

Tests for any new standards: New standards will be weighed against tests where evidence shows there are “cost-effective and affordable opportunities and that it is safe and practical to do so.”

Read the rest of the article on the LABC Warranty website

Read about how you can make your home more energy efficient.