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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes the Government has made to building regulations relating to renewable energy in the last five years.

The Building Regulations have been changed twice in the last five years to strengthen energy requirements by over thirty percent. To meet these demanding performance-based standards, new buildings need more insulation, better windows, efficient heating or renewable systems.

Also, the Building Regulations were amended in 2012 to require notification that an analysis of the feasibility of using high efficiency alternative systems, including renewable energy, has been carried out before new construction commences.