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- CBI calls for bolder, faster action on Buildings Standards
CBI calls for bolder, faster action on Buildings Standards
CBI response to government consultation on the Future Building Standard says government needs to go further, faster on future standards for new buildings – and deliver a strategy for existing buildings
The CBI has responded to a Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation on the Future Buildings Standard calling for government to match its ambition for future buildings with a robust target for the UK’s existing buildings.
Ensuring new buildings are carbon neutral by 2050
Developed in partnership with CBI members, the CBI’s response urges government to fast-track a full technical consultation on building standards to ensure new buildings delivered in the future will be carbon-neutral by 2050. Our response raised a note of caution over the disincentives for businesses to invest created by interim standards, however, when it is likely that higher standards will be required in the future.
With a significant proportion of carbon emissions coming from the UK’s current building stock, our response also highlights the increasing urgency for government and industry to develop a retrofit strategy that will address the energy performance of 29 million existing homes and 1.7 million buildings across the country.
Join up efforts being made across all departments to decarbonise the economy
Combining better building fabric standards to improve energy efficiency must be aligned with the government’s forthcoming heat strategy and the energy white paper published in December last year. The CBI urged government to join up efforts being made across all departments to decarbonise the economy, creating a coherent pathway to net-zero 2050 that means all businesses, building owners, developers and occupiers have certainty and clarity of their roles and responsibilities in reducing carbon emissions and using energy more efficiently.
The CBI’s response also welcomed the theme running through the Future Buildings Standard consultation on better use of data, both in designing buildings, measuring and improving performance.
With a full technical consultation on the Future Buildings Standard to come, and the CBI shortly expecting a Heat and Buildings Strategy from government, our work in this space is just getting started. Please stay in touch with the CBI on low carbon and energy efficient buildings by contacting Tim Miller.