Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the BRE Code for Sustainable Homes data that 107,000 homes have been built in England to the zero carbon homes standard, if he will include in the forthcoming review of Building Regulations a proposal to reinstate that standard from 2020.

The recent UK Green Building Council report on new homes ( https://www.ukgbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Driving-sustainability-in-new-homes-UKGBC-resource-July-2018-v4.pdf ) stated that 107,000 homes have been built to the Code Level 4 standard. Code Level 4 represents a 19 per cent uplift on current Part L energy efficiency standards across the build mix.

We have noted these findings and are preparing to consult on options to deliver the government’s ambitious commitments for future housing. In the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, we committed to reviewing the Part L standards, including consulting on improving energy efficiency requirements in new and existing buildings where the evidence suggests it is cost effective, affordable, practical and safe to do so. In the Spring Statement, government committed to introduce a Future Homes Standard by 2025 for new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency, to create healthy homes that are fit for the future, have low energy bills, and are better for the environment.