Revised Building Regulations tackle climate change

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that changes to tackle climate change have been brought forward by two years, from 2008 to 2006.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that changes to tackle climate change have been brought forward by two years, from 2008 to 2006.

The changes come two years ahead of schedule and will be in place by April 2006.

It is expected that the new regulations will save one million tonnes of carbon a year by 2010 (the equivalent of emissions from over one million semi-detached homes), simply by making buildings more energy efficient.

New homes will need to be better insulated, use more efficient heating systems, including condensing boilers, and be subjected to air pressure leakage testing.

These measures will deliver increased energy standards for new buildings, including 22% in houses and 18% in flats.

Another positive outcome of the new regulations is fuel bills in homes built after 2006 being cut by up to 40%.

The ODPM already has a training and information programme in place, however alongside the new regulations, the ODPM will be introducing nationally recognised qualifications for surveyors to ensure a high level of compliance and understanding of the new regulations.

In addition to the new regulations, all government-funded residential developments will be required to meet a national Code for Sustainable Buildings.

This code will not only cover fuel and power usage, but also the efficient use of water, and aims to raise sustainability standards.

A review is also planned to look into improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings.

Improvements already being carried out include replacing old boilers and windows with newer, more efficient models.

This will be central to meeting Britain's climate change targets, as households are responsible for around 30% of total UK energy use.

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