Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Paragraph: 75
We recommend that the Government introduce, not later than December 2023, regulations to mandate whole-life...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government introduce, not later than December 2023, regulations to mandate whole-life carbon assessments for buildings above a gross internal area of 1000m2, or which create more than 10 dwellings. This requirement should be established in Building Regulations, and ought to be reflected in the planning system through national planning policy. Local authorities should be encouraged and supported to include this requirement within their Local Plans ahead of the introduction of national planning requirements.
Government Response Summary
The government intends to consult in 2023 on mainstreaming the measurement and reduction of embodied carbon, considering various levers including building regulations, and will carry out research and analysis to understand the impacts of potential interventions, with a focus on SMEs.
Paragraph Reference:
75
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Government intends to consult in 2023 on our approach and interventions to mainstream the measurement and reduction of embodied carbon in the built environment. As set out in the Net Zero Strategy, we will make sure that spatial planning supports our efforts to combat climate change and help bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. As part of our programme of changes to the planning system, we intend to review the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation as fully as possible. We acknowledge the recommendation from the Committee that a requirement should be established through the building regulations. We will consider through the feedback received from the above consultation and parallel stakeholder engagement what levers, including building regulations, will be needed to tackle embodied carbon. In addition, research and analysis will be carried out to understand the full practical, technical and economic impacts of potential interventions. This will be particularly important for minimising impacts on SMEs and ensuring that interventions deliver for the climate but do not undermine other objectives to level up the country and deliver more, safer homes. Our planned consultation in 2023 will therefore consider the outcomes of this analysis and research. As part of this work, we will also consider what types and sizes of homes and buildings should be included.