Summary
The Department of Finance carried out a public consultation from 11 October to 19 December 2021 on proposals to uplift to standards of Part F of the Building Regulations. These were intended as an interim step and to provide a more robust application of Regulation 43B (Nearly zero-energy requirements for new buildings).
Documents
- Consultation Document - Part F 2021
- Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) – Part F 2021. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
- Draft Technical Booklet F1 (TBF1) – Part F 2021. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
- Draft Technical Booklet F2 (TBF2) - Part F 2021. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
- Rural Needs Impact Assessment - Part F 2021. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
- Equality Impact Screening Part F 2021. This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
- Summary of responses and Departmental response to Part F consultation 2021
- Final Regulatory Impact Assessment - Amendments to Part F Technical Guidance
- Final Rural Needs Impact Assessment - Part F 2021 reviewed in March 2022
- FAQs on TBF changes 2022
Consultation description
The Department has since published its post consultation actions on this page. New Technical Booklets F1 and F2 have been developed, taking into account the consultation responses. This new guidance will come into effect on 30 June 2022.
Links to a recorded awareness briefing and a Frequently Asked Questions document can be found below.
This consultation set out DoF proposals to uplift guidance on energy efficiency and carbon performance requirements for new buildings.
Three options were considered:
- Option 1: do nothing
- Option 2: a 25% betterment of the current emission targets for all new dwellings and a 15% betterment for new buildings other than dwellings; and
- Option 3: a 40% betterment for new houses, and 25% for new flats and 15% for new buildings other than dwellings
Option 2 and 3 also proposed improved minimum standards for building fabric and encourage more air-tightness testing. Further proposals, to take into account updated methodologies and software currently under development for adoption in other regions, are expected to follow in subsequent phases.
Option 3 was the Department’s preferred option and was strongly supported in the consultation responses. The new guidance implements Option 3 to come into effect on 30 June 2022.
The Department delivered the following events for construction industry representatives during the consultation period:
Event 1 - Thursday 21st October 2021at 2pm: An introductory session to explain the proposals, timelines, potential practical out-workings and planned subsequent steps.
Event 2- Thursday 18th November 2021 at 2pm: A session to review and provide clarification on the consultation documents, if necessary, for those responding to the consultation.
A further seminar was held on 17th May to raise awareness in the run up to the new guidance coming into effect.
A recorded awareness briefing can be accessed on You Tube
Ways to respond
Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.