UK Government Amends Building Regulations To Cut Emissions, Bills

The UK government has made some changes to the country’s building regulations to make homes, shops and offices warmer and cheaper to run and take Britain a step closer to meeting low carbon commitments.

The amendments is expected to make homes 25% more energy efficient, saving householders GBP100 a year on their heating bills and is expected to save around 2 million tonnes of carbon every year by 2020.

The amendments to building regulations will come into force in October, giving builders six months to prepare. The standards are expected to help to deliver real carbon savings without creating obstacles for house builders during the economic recovery.

Building on the Warm Homes, Greener Homes strategy, the government is continuing the drive towards all new buildings reaching the zero carbon standard from 2019.

The measures include practical steps that builders can take to make buildings greener, while at the same time ensuring that more efficient, air-tight homes and offices are sufficiently ventilated. Where homeowners choose to extend or renovate their homes, they will need to use more energy efficient windows and boilers.

New homes will need to be more water efficient too. Homes will also be safer, with improved hot water safety and a new requirement for carbon monoxide alarms whenever solid fuel combustion appliances are installed, the government said.

John Healey, housing and planning minister, said: “The higher green standards we’re bringing in this year will cut emissions and play a crucial part in achieving our zero carbon policies. They will also make homes and businesses cheaper to heat and run.

“Nearly half the UK’s carbon emissions come from our buildings. But more than one in three of the buildings we’ll be working in and living in by 2050 have not yet been built, so action now can make a real difference in the future. We must all adapt to ensure that we cut carbon emissions where we can. While we must act to reduce carbon emissions, we must do so in sensible stages to avoid unreasonable burdens on the house building industry.”