BUILDING REGULATIONS
Vincent Lundy during his presentation at BUILDEX 2023.
VINCENT LUNDY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE AT THE CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS FEDERATION (CEF) TALKS ABOUT THE IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK NECESSARY IN NI’S HOUSING STOCK TO REDUCE EMISSIONS ON THE PATHWAY TO NET ZERO… Construction facing a changing climate
T he local construction sector compounded by a dysfunctional new planning portal to rising costs, skills shortages and uncertainty over a pipeline of work prompted by the latest period of political stasis. continues to face challenges from an underwhelming planning system It was refreshing then to attend a bustling event such as BUILDEX, brimming as it was with new technologies, glistening new machinery and interested parties from across the industry, and where a clear sense of optimism prevailed. I attended to speak on the changing nature of regulation and the accelerant effect climate change is having, not least impacting building regulations. I was struck by the number of other speakers who also touched on the mismatch between climate change policy, which is advanced with targets set to reduce emissions sharply, and the reality on the ground. If we take statistics as a starting point: • 25 % of UK emissions are directly attributable to the built environment • 19 % of the UK’s carbon footprint is from operational emissions energy needed to heat, cool and power our buildings
• 80 % of buildings which will be occupied in 2050 already exist, meaning decarbonising existing stock is a key priority. The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) sets a target of Net Zero emissions by 2050 along with interim targets including at least a 48% reduction in net emissions by 2030, just over six short years away. Each of these statistics then is a strand indicating the immense amount of work that is needed to reduce emissions, requiring strategic planning, sustained and targeted investment and joined-up thinking across government at every level. If we take retrofitting our housing stock as one local example, the scale of investment required is immense. The Housing Executive produced a report in 2021 which estimated that it would cost £9.2bn to upgrade 586,000 homes locally to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band B. The calculation was made long before inflation surged. In February, the Department for Economy published a progress report on the implementation of the Energy Strategy, confirming it has missed a target to launch new energy efficiency schemes for homes and businesses. The department said after consultation that
it became clear that a pilot scheme for homes would not be feasible at present. It added officials were now “progressing the development of a multi-year energy efficiency intervention programme”, which includes determining how much money will be needed for an effective scheme to insulate homes. With news that some departments are expected to see cuts of up to 10%, it is clear that much more money is needed than is available. Regarding building regulations, the 2022 CEF manifesto called on the incoming Executive to deliver over the next decade the extensive uplift of building regulations detailed in the Energy Strategy. In the absence of an Executive, this too has been delayed as the consultation requires approval. In short, with emission targets looming, it is difficult to progress without a restored Executive leading a concerted effort to change. Should Stormont return, perhaps speakers at the next BUILDEX event can report on the renewed efforts underway to realise the immense ambition of the Net Zero emission targets and the undoubted opportunities they bring. For more information, contact the Construction Employers Federation, T: (028) 9087 7143 - E: mail@cefni.co.uk Visit: www.cefni.co.uk
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