The Government launched a major consultation in December 2023 about new measures to improve the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon emissions of new homes and non-domestic building – called the Future Homes & Building Standards Consultation.

Most of it applies to house-builders and developers, but a section of it refers to the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of new homes and new non-domestic buildings such as multi-storey car-parks, office and workshop buildings etc.

Recent research by the University College London (UCL) – commissioned by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England [CPRE] – has highlighted the enormous potential of rooftops to host most of the solar panels we need to supplement the supply of our electricity needs. Several organisations have called on the government to act on this win-win opportunity to reduce carbon emissions, cut bills, and spare land for farming and wildlife.

Here’s the news from the CPRE: Government consultation offers hope of rooftop solar on new buildings – CPRE

Making rooftop solar compulsory – on new housing and car-parks, offices etc. – could help reduce the devastating impacts of climate collapse on our countryside, whilst protecting much-loved landscapes from industrial ground-mounted schemes, which are already starting to blight some areas and remove good agricultural land from use. Voluntary installation of solar panels has been possible for many years, but has often been delayed by planning rules as well as the reluctance of house-builders and developers to spend the extra money involved – despite the considerably reduced costs of doing so.

The deadline for this consultation has now been extended to 27 March. Within the consultation is a proposal to make rooftop solar a mandatory requirement on suitable new buildings. You can do so Here. 

NB. It takes just a couple of minutes to respond to the consultation, which you can do either via the survey link above or via email. You’ll need to select answers to the questions which can be found in Annex B, and questions 7-11 cover rooftop solar. To support the CPRE campaign for rooftop solar as standard on new buildings, select ‘Option 1’ for questions 7, 9 and 10.

[With thanks to the Sheffield-based Millhouses Ecclesall & Carter Knowle Community Group [MECK CG]]