PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Housing: Energy (6 November 2014)

The Housing Standards Review has clearly established the Government's policy to rationalise and simplify the many overlapping and confusing technical housing sandards currently in operation. The Review will enable quality and sustainable housing developments to be brought forward more easily but without compromising essential safety and accessibility protections.

The Government does not anticipate any negative impact on the energy efficiency of housing as a consequence of the Code for Sustainable Homes being wound down. The Code does not affect the existing housing stock, and only affects a proportion of new homes being constructed. The new Building Regulations Part L, brought in from April 2014, already requires an aggregate 6% energy performance above current Code 3 equivalent, and has introduced a mandatory energy efficiency requirement for all new homes. The Housing Standards Review consultation proposes that from the point when the proposals are implemented the energy efficiency requirements in the Regulations will be set at a level equivalent to Code level 4. This is equivalent to a further uplift of 20% on 2010 Part L, across the build mix. Finally, the Government has firmly committed to delivering zero carbon housing from 2016.