The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) has released long-awaited proposals about decarbonising residential, commercial & public sector buildings in England.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has opened a consultation on the Future Homes Standard (homes) and Future Buildings Standard (commercial & other buildings) policies and regulations with the aim to improve thermal and energy efficiency, and to switch to renewable heat.

The 120-page-long main document, out of several that have been released, has far-reaching consequences for manufacturers and merchants, says the BMF.

The majority of ideas relate to new homes and non-residential buildings. The consultation lays out technical proposals for changes to the Building Regulations, Approved Documents, and carbon calculation methods.

In summary, it means:

  • setting the performance requirements to ensure new homes and non-residential buildings (a) have high fabric standards; (b) use low-carbon heating and (c) are ‘zero-carbon ready'.
  • improving the minimum standards for fixed building services and on-site electricity generation.
  • improving the guidance and minimum standards for heat loss from building services.

A small number of proposals apply to existing buildings notably:

  • improving standards for new dwellings created through a material change of use.
  • improving real-world performance in new homes, as designed, compared to actual energy use.
  • supporting the expansion of clean heat networks.
  • confirming reducing carbon emissions as the primary aim - with the secondary aim of lowering the energy actually used indoors.

The DLUHC is also calling for evidence on Part O of the Regs about overheating in new homes.

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero has also published a series of related documents - and begun a new consultation on its proposed Home Energy Model to replace the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) used in the energy rating of new homes. A first consultation occurred between October 2019 and February 2020

The documents, which are quite technical, are aimed primarily at house-builders & property developers who will be obligated by new regulations.

The BMF is asking its members to send in views and evidence to help compile its own response.