Net Zero Housing: Inquiry Into 'Zero Carbon Ready' Plan

• Published date: 18 March 2021
• Subject Matter: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Waste Management
• Law Firm: Walker Morris
• Author: Mr Ben Sheppard

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has launched an inquiry into the government's plan to make all new homes 'zero carbon ready' by 2025. The call for evidence has a deadline of 30 April 2021 and covers proposals outlined in the Future Homes Standard plan for new homes, as well as plans for improving energy efficiency in existing homes.

The Committee is inviting submissions on the following points:

• New homes: the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standards
  • Do the government's proposals for improving the energy efficiency of new homes by 2025 go far enough?
  • The government has acknowledged the need to clarify the role of local planning authorities in setting energy efficiency requirements for new homes that go beyond the minimum standards. What role should LPAs play in determining local energy efficiency standards?
  • Is the government right to anticipate that heat pumps will become the primary heating technology for new homes?
  • Will the proposals address the performance gap between design intent and build quality of new homes?
  • Is the government right to introduce revised transitional arrangements? In addition, the Committee seeks evidence on any other issues relating to either the Future Homes Standard or the Future Buildings Standards.

• Existing homes - plans for improving the energy efficiency of the existing housing stock
  • Local authorities' progress towards reducing or eliminating the carbon footprint of their own building estate.
  • The role of local authorities in improving the energy efficiency of non-council...