The 2021 uplift to Part L of the Building Regulations and the new Part O overheating requirement came into effect on 15 June 2022, according to the government's Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation1. Part O was introduced in December 2021 as a new legal requirement in the Building Regulations to reduce the risk of overheating in new residential buildings1. The consultation document states that the relevant parts of the industry should by now have had time to understand how the new regulations and guidance are working in practice, and that the government sees this as a suitable time to seek views and evidence on Part O1.
The consultation that records these dates was published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and relates to buildings in England only1. It was scheduled for 12 weeks from 13 December 2023 to 6 March 2024, and the deadline was extended by a further three weeks to 11:59 on 27 March 20241. The government states it intends to publish the new regulations and associated guidance in 2024, with the standards coming into force from 20251.
The consultation sets out proposed performance requirements for new buildings, based on notional buildings with an efficient air source heat pump or a fourth generation heat network using air source heat pumps1. It states that gas boilers, including hybrid and hydrogen-ready boilers, will not meet the proposed standards, and that the standards proposed are also unlikely to allow the installation of biofuel systems, including wood and manufactured solid fuels1. Two options are under consultation, one with and one without solar PV panels1. The document also lists proposed U-values for building elements, including roof, external wall, floor, window and door1.
"In December 2021, a new legal requirement was introduced in the Building Regulations (Part O)"
The consultation also covers changes to Part 6, Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations for dwellings and non-domestic buildings, and seeks evidence on previous changes to Part O1. It notes that embodied carbon is beyond the scope of the consultation and the existing Building Regulations, and that the government intends to consult on measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings in due course1.
Why it matters for households
Part L governs the conservation of fuel and power, so the 2021 uplift sets the fabric and services standards that new homes in England must meet, which affects how much energy a home needs for heating, hot water and lighting. Part O addresses overheating risk in new residential buildings, which matters as homes become better insulated and retain more heat. For a household, the practical effect is on the running costs and comfort of a newly built home rather than on an existing one, since the requirements apply to new buildings. The consultation records that higher standards of energy efficiency and a move to cleaner sources of heat allow buildings to be warmer and more comfortable, and that this will likely increase build costs1. It also states that the standards set for new homes can put the UK on the right path to net zero by 20501. The consultation does not report figures for household bills or for the number of homes affected.
What happens next
The consultation deadline was extended to 11:59 on 27 March 20241. The government states it intends to publish the new regulations and associated guidance in 2024, with the standards coming into force from 20251. No further dates are given in the source.