Bennetts Associates responds to Part L consultation, urging the government to go further

06.02.2020

Today Bennetts Associates submitted our response to the ongoing Part L and Part F consultation, pushing for an ambitious upgrade of ambition from the government.

The Future Homes Standard, which will set standards for energy efficiency and carbon emissions from all new homes, is out for consultation until this Friday (7^th February). Though this may seem an incredibly dry subject, it is unfortunately fundamental to the UK’s ability to meet even the least ambitious of climate change targets.

Our Homes account for 27% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, and so new homes need to be zero carbon as soon as possible. The Future Homes Standard needs to be the tool to achieve that, yet it continues to develop on a methodology that is both fundamentally flawed and unambitious. In fact, homes built in 2020 under the new standard, could be less efficient than those built in 2013. It is our view that no home built this year should add to the already mammoth retrofit challenge that we will need to undertake to get to net-zero.

Lastly, the proposed regulations would prevent local authorities from setting higher standards in planning policy, tying the hands of ambitious cities who have their own net-zero targets.

Last week, the LETI Climate Emergency Design Guide was released, giving a clear direction for how the industry could meet net-zero targets. Consultants from across the industry came together, sharing knowledge and volunteering time, so that they could change the regulations in a way that would reduce fuel poverty and give us a chance of meeting climate targets. We believe the government should be using the findings of this body of work, which supports similar efforts from other industry groups, as the basis for the Future Homes Standard.

We urge all consultants, particularly any who have signed up to Architects Declare, or are members of LETI, to take part in the consultation event. To find out how you can take part, whether you have 5 minutes or an hour visit this page https://www.leti.london/part-l

Read our response here: BA Part L Response_Letter.pdf