A survey released this week shows that 98% of housebuilders' sites fail to comply with energy regulations.
The study carried out by the National Energy Services and De Montfort University, Leicester, showed that only one site of the 50 visited had a significant proportion of homes displaying the SAP rating, the energy efficiency score that must be displayed in unsold properties.

The survey also found that only 12% of the sites offered buyers information about SAP and sales negotiators were poorly informed, with 74% of those questioned unable to explain what SAP was or how it worked. Forty-three per cent could not answer questions about a home's heating system or controls.

Dr Patrick Devine-Wright of De Montfort University said housebuilders must act quickly to remedy the problems revealed by the survey. He said: "It's something the housebuilding industry needs to start taking more seriously."

The House Builders Federation claimed the situation had improved since the survey was carried out last autumn. An HBF spokesperson said: "If you did the survey now you would get a different result.

"It has taken some time to work through the system – partly because SAP was introduced as a memo to housebuilders and there was no promotional device or investment in the scheme."

Main findings of the energy report

  • No SAP rating information on house types was available on any of the top 10 housebuilders’ websites.
  • 98% of sites failed to comply with Building Regulations by not displaying SAP rating.
  • Only two housebuilders of the top 10 had sales negotiators who could begin to answer questions about energy efficiency.