Energy efficiency ultimately means to use less energy to do the same task. The benefits of energy efficiency are a reduction in the following:
- greenhouse gas emissions
- demand for energy imports
- household costs
When are these changes coming into effect?
These changes came into effect on 15 June 2022. There is a transition period for the old rules to continue to apply where planning permission was sought before 15 June 2022 as long as work on that building begins before 15 June 2023 (gov.uk).
What are the changes?
Generally the changes in the Building Regs will impact on compliance to improve energy efficiency in new homes and any changes undertaken to existing homes. Some of these changes are listed below:
New homes
- There will be a 30% cut on carbon dioxide emissions;
- To mitigate the risk of overheating in new homes, a new Building Regulation and Approved Document O has been introduced;
- There will be a maximum flow temperature requirement of 55°C for new and replacement heating systems.
Existing homes
- There will be a requirement for new or replacement heating system designs to accept low-carbon heating in the future
If you anticipate a new building project it is worth noting that these new standards now.
