Housebuilders have called for the Government to drop its proposed upgrade to energy efficiency regulations, as the industry determines how well existing homes are performing.
The House Builders’ Federation (HBF) said the government should disregard the proposed 2013 increase in the energy performance of new build homes in its submission to the government’s Part L consultation (concluded in April 2012)
The submission, which is supported by the housing association lobby group the National Housing Federation (NHF), also asked the Government to not go ahead with its proposed ‘quality assurance’ method of testing.
In January the government suggested that house builders accredited in the quality assurance method PAS increase the energy performance of new homes in 2013 by an average of 8%. Those not accredited would be expected to upgrade it by 11% more than 2010 regulations.
The HBF purported that any performance increases should be put on hold while an assessment technique that is more valid in assessing performance is established. However, the HBF added that it remained committed to moving to zero carbon in 2016.
