5 February 2020

Zero Carbon should be standard for new homes by 2025

By Build Zone
Houses with solar panels on their rooftops under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick welcomes new government-appointed building Commission report on the future of housing and argues that built and natural environments should ‘work in harmony’. The new green standard for new build homes will bring an environmental revolution to home building – tackling climate change while keeping household bills low.

The minister’s comments came in response to the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission’s final report published late last week, which made a series of recommendations for realising the government’s ambition to build one million new homes by the end of the current Parliament.

The Future Homes Standard sets out minimum environmental standards for all new housing, including a commitment to removing traditional fossil fuel heating systems from 2025. A further consultation on the Future Homes Standard will follow in the coming months, proposing changes to the energy efficiency standards for non-domestic buildings and for building work to existing homes and non-domestic buildings; and on preventing overheating in buildings.

Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:  “Building new homes isn’t just about bricks and mortar, I want to ensure everyone – including developers – do their bit to protect the environment and give the next generation beautiful, environmentally friendly homes that local communities can support. That’s why I am requiring carbon emissions are cut by up to 80% from 2025 for all new homes and have published a National Design Guide, setting out simply what we expect from new development. We are also reforming the planning system making it faster and more efficient for everyone, from households to large developers, alongside giving families greater freedom to extend their homes to meet their changing needs.”

References:

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4009982/housing-secretary-robert-jenrick-zero-carbon-standard-homes-2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/housing-secretary-unveils-green-housing-revolution

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