Healey proposes changes to Part L of building regulations to improve energy efficiency after October 2010
Housing minister John Healey has proposed changes to Part L of 好色先生TV Regulations which will introduce a 25% improvement on current standards of energy efficiency of both homes and commercial buildings from October 2010.
The new housing minister launched a consultation at this week鈥檚 RTPI planning conference on changes to the building regs that would require new buildings to have much better insulation and lower-energy lighting and heating. The 25% improvement in domestic performance was widely expected as it is already contained in the Code for Sustainable Homes, however the plan to expected non-domestic buildings to achieve the same improvements will come as a surprise to the industry.
Healey said such a move could save families 拢100 a year on their heating and electricity bills.
He said: 鈥淲e must build our homes to a better, greener standard. We are leading the way globally, with our ambitions for zero-carbon homes and buildings. Today I have announced the next step towards zero carbon - a 25% improvement on current standards for new homes or buildings from 2010.鈥
Robert Upton, secretary-general of the RTPI, said: 鈥淭o adopt this 25% improvement in 2010 will be tough but this is a bold decision which we welcome and fully support. If we are to achieve our targeted reduction of carbon emissions of 20% by 2020 as the minister indicated, we have to act now鈥 It鈥檚 time for planners, architects and developers to step up to the mark and respond to this challenge.鈥
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