Labour backtracks on supporting energy efficiency for home refurbishment

5.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 25th Jun 2009

Newcastle East Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman Greg Stone has criticised the Labour Government for backing down on changes to building regulations which would require homes undergoing significant refurbishment or renovation to include measures to improve insulation and energy efficiency.

The so-called "Part L" regulations already apply to commercial buildings, but plans to extend coverage to homes as well have now been dropped by the new Housing Minister John Healey and now look set to be delayed until at least 2013.

Greg Stone said "This is a backwards step by the Government. It is widely acknowledged that whilst it is important to increase the energy efficiency and sustainability of new homes, one of the biggest climate change challenges is to increase the energy efficiency performance of vast numbers of existing homes.

"This measure would have meant that when significant work is done to extend or refurbish a house, energy efficiency improvements would need to be included. By ditching this commitment, the Government is failing on the green agenda on the home front."