New homes and buildings in England will have to produce significantly less CO2 under new rules announced by the government to help the country move towards net zero. Under the new regulations, CO2 emissions from new build homes must be around 30% lower than current standards and emissions from other new buildings, including offices and shops, must be reduced by 27%.

All new residential buildings must also be designed to reduce overheating, with improvements to ventilation being introduced to support the safety of residents in newly built homes and to prevent the spread of airborne viruses in new non-residential buildings. The changes to the government’s Building Regulations, which set the standards in England for the design, construction and alteration of buildings, follow a public consultation and will come into effect from June 2022.