Recently the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) proposed changes to part L of the Building Regulations, making it compulsory for building owners to upgrade the energy efficiency of their buildings when making other improvements.
When the policy was launched communities minister Andrew Stowell said it would boost uptake of the Green Deal, however the government has now admitted that it has no up-to-date information on which to base the claim that changes to the Building Regulations will drive uptake of the Green Deal. Industry experts challenged this stating negligent building controls and loop holes in regulations would make avoidance likely. This is despite non-domestic buildings being subject to a consequential improvements provision since 2006.
According to the impact assessment of the policy, the changes to be put in place from October 2012 will cost business 103m a year.