Clean Growth Strategy: Aiming for a low carbon future

In October 2017 the Government launched its new Clean Growth Strategy.

It sets out proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy through the 2020's. It explains how the whole country can benefit from low carbon opportunities, while meeting national and international commitments to tackle climate change.

The 50 key actions that government will take as part of the strategy include Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and possible changes to the building regulations.

The pathway to ‘improve our homes’ could see a further six to nine million properties insulated, especially focusing on those in fuel poverty where they are aiming to have the 2.5 million fuel-poor homes in England improved to energy efficiency rating C or better by 2030.

The aspiration is that as many homes as possible will be improved to EPC Band C by 2035 where practical, cost-effective and affordable.

Subject to the conclusions of the Hackitt review, set up following the Grenfell tragedy, the government intends to consult on making improvements to building regulations requirements. This would ensure that any new work to existing properties meets a high standard of energy efficiency, where the evidence shows there are cost-effective and affordable opportunities and that it is safe and practical to do so.

Any improvements would focus on the standard of work carried out on properties and would not include any wider 'consequential' improvements to other parts of the property.

Consequential improvements are currently required for certain non-domestic extensions (Approved Document L2B) and require an additional 10% of the cost of the building work to be used to improve the thermal efficiency of the whole building.

It would seem that this is unlikely to be extended into the domestic extension market.

Published November 2017

Further information

• Find out more about the Clean Growth Strategy.
• For homeowners – read about how to make your home energy efficient and save money (link added in April 2019).

Please Note: Every care was taken to ensure the information was correct at the time of publication. Any written guidance provided does not replace the user’s professional judgement. It is the responsibility of the dutyholder or person carrying out the work to ensure compliance with relevant building regulations or applicable technical standards.