Beggs presses Minister of Finance on the upgrade of Building Control Regulations to reduce CO2 Emissions

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has asked the Minister of Finance when the 2012 building control regulations governing a new building’s energy efficiency requirements will be upgraded to reduce CO2 emissions and the impact on climate change during its life-time.

Finance Minister Murphy MLA responded:

“My Department has put forward an ambitious provisional programme for phased uplifts of the energy efficiency requirements of building regulations as part of the Department for the Economy’s Energy Strategy Options Consultation.

This includes plans for an uplift to the requirements in technical guidance for new buildings within the executive period, which we expect to consult on in the late summer or autumn of this year, subject to Executive approval. The provisional programme proposes further uplifts in 2022/23 and thereafter.”

Commenting further on the issue, Roy Beggs MLA said “Reducing a buildings heat lost and the energy requirements to maintain its temperature is a very practical way to reduce CO2 emission and minimise climate change. This can also reduce fuel poverty. I welcome the forthcoming consultation on building insulation requirements but regret the slow pace of reform. It is best value to improve a new building thermal efficiency when it is being built. It is regrettable that during each month of delay, further homes will be built to older, less efficient building standards.”

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