Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current regulations on air conditioning systems in newbuild properties.

Part O of the Building Regulations requires that new residential buildings are built to mitigate the risk of overheating. Part O encourages passive design measures, such as limiting solar gain and enabling heat to be removed naturally, before relying on mechanical systems. This reflects the Government’s commitment to improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Mechanical cooling, such as air conditioning, can be used where all reasonably practicable steps have been taken to minimise overheating through passive means.

The Government keeps the Building Regulations under review. The Building Safety Regulator is currently undertaking a technical review of Part O to consider whether changes may be needed, informed by evidence and stakeholder feedback.