UK housebuilders to face zero carbon ready standard from 2025
Modular net zero carbon homes in Plumstead designed by Fuse Architects | Credit: Fuse Architects
Government confirms Future Homes Standard will apply to any new homes built from 2025, delivering a major uptick in the pace of the shift away from gas boilers - but campaigners are left disappointed by failure to adopt more rapid timetable
All new homes built from 2025 will need to be zero carbon ready in the UK under fresh green building standards published by the government yesterday, which should lead to a major uptick in investment.
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General praise for stricter carbon reduction targets from next year is tempered by longer-term questions around industry support and opportunities to exceed national building requirements
The construction sector has welcomed some of the major commitments made by the government in its Future Homes Standard, such as the introduction of stricter energy efficiency standards from 2022. However, some industry bodies have questioned whether enough support will be in place to realistically meet the standards nationally in both new and existing homes.
A government response to its consultation on setting revised efficiency requirements for new build homes from 2025 has formalised intentions to ban fossil fuel heating, including natural gas boilers, from future buildings.
We, the undersigned, express our deep concern about the latest proposals for the expansion of Permitted Development Rights in England.
These proposals will lower housing standards and accessible natural green infrastructure provision, extinguish local democracy, and end public participation. Communities and their local councils have simply lost control of many of the forms of development that matter most to them.
Permissions for over one million new homes are already in place but not built out according to the Local Government Association. There is little case to be made that the current system does not deliver consent for development.
Existing permitted development rights have resulted in what the Government’s own report has called poor quality homes. Much less funding is going to local authorities as a result of these changes. Councillors and MPs across the spectrum have voiced their deep concern at the size, quality, amenity, design, location and climate change implicatio
UK & Ireland. With a decade of experience at Schneider, Kas
is passionate about transforming and decarbonising buildings, whether new or old, with smart, sustainable solutions across energy generation, power, IoT and building services. In this latest piece, Kas shares his predictions for construction in 2021 – a greener, smarter and more collaborative industry.
Construction companies can’t ignore climate responsibility and the events of 2020 proved it. Despite the monumental personal, professional and political challenges throughout the year, sustainability remained a key talking point within the public, and a key differentiator for businesses.
With ‘Greener Buildings’ featured as one section of the UK government’s 10-point plan towards a Green Industrial Revolution, a spotlight will no-doubt be shone on the construction sector in 2021, and fines and reputational damage are likely to follow for companies unable to get on-board with this initiative. With the
Big names call on government to adopt RetroFirst reforms
A host of big names in architecture and the built environment have called on the government to adopt the recommendations of the AJ RetroFirst campaign
A letter to the Times newspaper, published on Saturday, said the government ‘cannot ignore our wasteful addiction to demolition and rebuilding’, particularly amid preparations for the UK to host the COP26 climate summit later this year.
The letter was signed by 35 individuals including Doreen Lawrence, Norman Foster, David Chipperfield, Thomas Heatherwick, Amin Taha, Sadie Morgan and former environment secretary John Gummer.
The letter said adopting the three recommendations of the RetroFirst campaign – cutting VAT on refurbishment to 5 per cent or less; amending planning guidance and the Building Regs to promote reuse of existing buildings; and insisting all publicly funded projects look to retrofit solutions first – ‘would not only underline the UK’s leadership