Sector groups call for more support for social landlords to meet energy efficiency rules

Sector bodies have called for more support for social landlords to meet the government’s latest proposed energy efficient rules for new homes.

The Housing Forum and the Chartered Institute of Housing are among the bodies to respond to the government’s technical consultation on the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, which closes today.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is proposing further measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes, including airtightness requirements and a ban on fossil fuel-fired boilers and hydrogen and biofuels.

Its aim is to ensure homes built from 2025 will produce 75% to 80% less carbon emissions than those built under current regulations, contributing to the UK’s target of achieving net zero by 2050.

DLUHC is consulting on two specification options for new homes. ‘Option 1’ has higher additional build costs but lower bills for residents, as it includes solar PV panels, a wastewater heat recovery system, increased airtightness and a decentralised mechanical ventilation system. ‘Option 2’ does not have these elements so has lower additional build costs.

>> See also: What the Future Homes Standard means for net zero

The Housing Forum in its submission said it supports the more ambitious ‘option 1’ but had some concerns around the real-world performance of mechanical cooling.

In its submission, the CIH said it prefers the first option, adding that option 2 would be a “missed opportunity to tackle fuel poverty”. But it added that it wanted a “genuine long-term plan” for housing to be established.

The institute also said an 18-month transition period is too short a timeframe to adjust business plans and policy to meet the requirements, adding: “A longer transitional period will enable design assessments and development pipelines to be fully compliant.”