The Building Regulations 2010

F1 [F2 Consideration of high-efficiency alternative systems for new buildings E

25A.— (1) Before construction of a new building starts, the person who is to carry out the work must analyse and take into account the technical, environmental and economic feasibility of using high-efficiency alternative systems (such as the following systems) in the construction, if available—

(a) decentralised energy supply systems based on energy from renewable sources;

(b) cogeneration;

(c) district or block heating or cooling, particularly where it is based entirely or partially on energy from renewable sources; and

(d) heat pumps.

[F3 (2) The person carrying out the work must—

(a) where the new building is a higher-risk building, ensure the application for building control approval in relation to the work is accompanied by a notice which states that the analysis referred to in paragraph (1) has been undertaken, is documented, and the documentation is available to the regulator for verification purposes;

(b) in any other case, not later than the beginning of the day before the day on which the work starts, give the building control authority a notice which states that the analysis referred to in paragraph (1) has been undertaken, is documented, and the documentation is available to the authority for verification purposes; and

(c) ensure that a copy of the analysis is available for inspection at all reasonable times on request by an officer of the building control authority.]

(3) An authorised officer of the [F4 building control authority] may require production of the documentation in order to verify that this regulation has been complied with.

[F5 (3A) Where the regulator is the building control authority by virtue of section 91ZB of the Act (the regulator: building control authority for other work), it must send a copy of each notice it receives under this regulation in relation to a building to the local authority for the area in which the building is situated.]

(4) The analysis referred to in paragraph (1)—

(a) may be carried out for individual buildings or for groups of similar buildings or for common typologies of buildings in the same area; and

(b) in so far as it relates to collective heating and cooling systems, may be carried out for all buildings connected to the system in the same area.

(5) In this regulation—

(a) “cogeneration” means simultaneous generation in one process of thermal energy and one or both of the following—

(i) electrical energy;

(ii) mechanical energy;

(b) “district or block heating or cooling” means the distribution of thermal energy in the form of steam, hot water or chilled liquids, from a central source of production through a network of multiple buildings or sites, for the use of space or process heating or cooling;

(c) “energy from renewable sources” means energy from renewable non-fossil sources, namely wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal and ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases; and

(d) “heat pump” means a machine, a device or installation that transfers heat from natural surroundings such as air, water or ground to buildings or industrial applications by reversing the natural flow of heat such that it flows from a lower to a higher temperature. (For reversible heat pumps, it may also move heat from the building to the natural surroundings.)]

Extent Information

E1 This version of this provision applies to England only; a separate version has been created for Wales only

Textual Amendments

F1 Regs. 25A, 25B inserted (E., but only in relation to educational buildings and buildings of statutory undertakers in W., Crown buildings in W., building work carried out or proposed to be carried out by Crown authorities in W., and excepted energy buildings in W.) (9.1.2013 for specified purposes, 9.7.2013 for specified purposes, 1.1.2019 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3119), reg. 17, Sch. 1 (with regs. 1(3)(4), 45-47) (as amended by S.I. 2013/181, reg. 5, Sch.)

F2 Regs. 25A, 25B inserted (W. for remaining purposes) (19.4.2013 for specified purposes, 9.7.2013 for specified purposes, 1.1.2019 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/747), regs. 1(4), 15 (with regs. 1(2)(3), 35, 36)

F3 Reg. 25A(2) substituted (E.) (1.10.2023) by The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/911), regs. 1(2), 7(11)(a) (with regs. 22-24)

F4 Words in reg. 25A(3) substituted (E.) (1.10.2023) by The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/911), regs. 1(2), 7(11)(b) (with regs. 22-24)

F5 Reg. 25A(3A) inserted (E.) (1.10.2023) by The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/911), regs. 1(2), 7(11)(c) (with regs. 22-24)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 25A applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2010/2215, reg. 20(1) (as substituted (E., but only in relation to excepted energy buildings in W.) (9.1.2013) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3119), reg. 39, Sch. 1 (with regs. 1(3), 45-47); and (W. for remaining purposes) (19.4.2013) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/747), regs. 1(4), 32 (with reg. 1(2)(3))

C2 Reg. 25A modified (E.) (6.4.2024) by The Building (Registered Building Control Approvers etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/110), regs. 1(3), 5(2)(3) (with regs. 44-47)

[F6 Consideration of high-efficiency alternative systems for new buildings W

25A.— (1) Before construction of a new building starts, the person who is to carry out the work must analyse and take into account the technical, environmental and economic feasibility of using high-efficiency alternative systems (such as the following systems) in the construction, if available—

(a) decentralised energy supply systems based on energy from renewable sources;

(b) cogeneration;

(c) district or block heating or cooling, particularly where it is based entirely or partially on energy from renewable sources; and

(d) heat pumps.

(2) The person carrying out the work must—

(a) not later than the beginning of the day before the day on which the work starts, give the local authority a notice which states that the analysis referred to in paragraph (1)—

(i) has been undertaken;

(ii) is documented; and

(iii) the documentation is available to the authority for verification purposes; and

(b) ensure that a copy of the analysis is available for inspection at all reasonable times upon request by an officer of the local authority.

(3) An authorised officer of the local authority may require production of the documentation in order to verify that this regulation has been complied with.

(4) The analysis referred to in paragraph (1)—

(a) may be carried out for individual buildings or for groups of similar buildings or for common typologies of buildings in the same area; and

(b) in so far as it relates to collective heating and cooling systems, may be carried out for all buildings connected to the system in the same area.

(5) In this regulation—

(a) “cogeneration” means simultaneous generation in one process of thermal energy and one or both of the following—

(i) electrical energy;

(ii) mechanical energy;

(b) “district or block heating or cooling” means the distribution of thermal energy in the form of steam, hot water or chilled liquids, from a central source of production through a network of multiple buildings or sites, for the use of space or process heating or cooling;

(c) “energy from renewable sources” means energy from renewable non-fossil sources, namely wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal and ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases; and

(d) “heat pump” means a machine, a device or installation that transfers heat from natural surroundings such as air, water or ground to buildings or industrial applications by reversing the natural flow of heat such that it flows from a lower to a higher temperature. (For reversible heat pumps, it may also move heat from the building to the natural surroundings.)]

Extent Information

E2 This version of this provision applies to Wales only; a separate version has been created for England only

Textual Amendments

F6 Regs. 25A, 25B inserted (W. for remaining purposes) (19.4.2013 for specified purposes, 9.7.2013 for specified purposes, 1.1.2019 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/747), regs. 1(4), 15 (with regs. 1(2)(3), 35, 36)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 S. 25A applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2010/2215, reg. 20(1) (as substituted (E., but only in relation to excepted energy buildings in W.) (9.1.2013) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3119), reg. 39, Sch. 1 (with regs. 1(3), 45-47); and (W. for remaining purposes) (19.4.2013) by The Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/747), regs. 1(4), 32 (with reg. 1(2)(3)) (as amended (W.) (25.4.2024) by S.I. 2024/447, regs. 1(1), 3(h) (with reg. 6))