Breaking: New rules to cut carbon emissions of new builds

New homes and buildings in England will have to produce significantly less CO2 under new rules announced by the government.

Under the new regulations, CO2 emissions from new build homes must be around 30% lower than current standards, and emissions from other new buildings must be reduced by 27%.

All new residential buildings must also be designed to reduce overheating, with improvements to ventilation being introduced to support the safety of residents in newly built homes and to prevent the spread of airborne viruses in new non-residential buildings.

Heating and powering buildings currently makes up 40% of the UK’s total energy use.

The changes announced today to the government’s Building Regulations will come into effect from June 2022 following a public consultation.

Housing Minister Eddie Hughes said: ‘Climate change is the greatest threat we face and we must act to protect our precious planet for future generations. The government is doing everything it can to deliver net zero and slashing CO2 emissions from homes and buildings is vital to achieving this commitment.

‘The changes will significantly improve the energy efficiency of the buildings where we live, work and spend our free time and are an important step on our country’s journey towards a cleaner, greener built environment.’

The new regulations pave the way for the government’s Future Homes and Buildings Standard in 2025, which is expected to ensure that all future homes are net zero ready and will not need retrofitting.

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina