Miliband Confirms New Build Homes to Be Built with Solar Roofs

HOUSEBUILDERS will soon have to construct all new homes with solar roofs with very few exceptions.

Ed Miliband confirmed this will become a regulatory requirement as part of the Future Homes Standard, which is expected to be published in the autumn.

It was reported at the beginning of May that the Future Homes Standard will mandate rooftop solar on all new build homes from 2027.

Solar Roofs

Ed Miliband said the installation of solar roofs on new homes will become “almost universal” with very “rare exceptions”, in a government announcement.

Responding to Ed Miliband’s announcement, CPRE campaigns lead Jackie Copley, said: “This is a very promising sign from the government. CPRE has long campaigned for widespread rooftop solar, which would harness the potential of the UK’s roofs to generate huge amounts of clean and truly sustainable energy.

“With rooftop solar, meaningful climate action does not come at the expense of a thriving and beautiful countryside. This is in contrast to mega solar farms, which damage natural landscapes and productive farmland.

“We now urge the government to go further, setting a target for generating at least 60% of the UK’s solar energy from rooftops, making it easier for warehouses and other industrial buildings to install rooftop solar panels, and speeding up the rollout of new grid connections.”

Energy Savings

The government estimates buying a new home with a solar roof will typically save owners around £500 each year on energy bills.

The move will contribute to government targets to decarbonise the residential sector which currently accounts for about 20% of UK carbon emissions. The UK’s target is to become net zero by 2050, meaning it will remove more greenhouse gases than it emits.

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