The Department did not set out to use the Programme to advance the government’s net zero objectives. The Department and Homes England did not include any specific targets around net-zero for the 2021 programme. Instead, housing providers must comply with existing and future environmental standards set out in the planning design guide and building standards.47 The Department said it expects that housing providers will follow the national design code. Homes England said that the overwhelming ma...

The Department did not set out to use the Programme to advance the government’s net zero objectives. The Department and Homes England did not include any specific targets around net-zero for the 2021 programme. Instead, housing providers must comply with existing and future environmental standards set out in the planning design guide and building standards.47 The Department said it expects that housing providers will follow the national design code. Homes England said that the overwhelming majority of homes under the 2016 programme will get an energy performance certificate of B, C or better.48 Type: conclusion | Number: 18 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 5. PAC conclusion: New homes built under the Programme may need expensive retrofitting to meet net-zero standards in the future. 5. PAC recommendation: The Department should clearly set out the impact of including net-zero requirements in the next iteration of the Programme. 5.1 The government agree