2.9  Policies CC1 and CC2 in Local Plan Part 1 seek to promote development which contributes to mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, promote sustainable patterns of development and reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions from new development. Policy CC2 seeks to ensure that all new development includes measures to minimise energy and water use through its design, layout, landscape and orientation.

2.10 Since the adoption of Local Plan Part 1, in June 2019 the UK Government committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and in September 2019 Waverley Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency. The Council therefore considers that it is necessary to have a policy in Local Plan Part 2 which will ensure new dwellings built in the Borough are more energy efficient. A significant percentage of our carbon emissions come from our homes. In Waverley 35% of the Borough's carbon emissions come from domestic electricity, gas and other fuels[1] . Homes built today will remain part of the Borough's housing stock for many decades to come and it is therefore vital that new homes are built to be sustainable in order to reduce their contribution to carbon emissions. Additionally, it can be very costly to retrofit homes in order to make them more energy efficient.

2.11  The Government confirmed plans to wind down the Code for Sustainable Homes in March 2014 (in response to the Housing Standards Review) and in March 2015 it was confirmed through a written ministerial statement that changes to the 2008 Climate Change Act would mean local authorities in England could no longer require code level 3, 4, 5 or 6 as part of the conditions imposed on planning permissions. In 2019 the PPG on Climate Change was updated to confirm that within development plans, local planning authorities can set energy performance standards for new housing or the adaptation of buildings to provide dwellings, that are higher than the building regulations, up to the equivalent of Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes (approximately 20% above the current Building Regulations).

2.12  If it is done right, designing and constructing homes to high standards of sustainability can reduce costs both for developers and occupants in the long term. There are many ways in which the design of homes can reduce their carbon emissions, including, but not limited to:

• Insulation: the best use of insulation should ensure that heat losses during the winter are negligible and that the home remains cool in the summer. Insulation should be fitted to avoid thermal bridging (where there is a break in the insulation, less insulation or the insulation is penetrated by an element with a higher thermal conductivity) which can lead to unnecessary heat loss.
• Windows: excessive heat gains and losses can be offset by the use of high-performance double- or triple-glazed windows. Managing the level of glazing on different façades of the building can allow it to benefit from solar gains.
• Mechanical ventilation systems: Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems have a high recovery efficiency. When used in combination with an airtight building fabric, they can replace unwanted carbon dioxide as well as moisture and odours with fresh air.

Explanatory notes:

2.13  The energy performance of new dwellings is assessed using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) which assesses how much energy a dwelling will consume and how much carbon dioxide will be emitted based on standardised occupancy conditions. The SAP calculation is used to determine the Dwelling Emission Rate (DER) which can then be compared to the Target Emission Rate (TER) as set out in the Building Regulations.

2.14  Using the SAP to generate a DER which can be compared to the Building Regulations TER is already required as part of the building control process.

2.15  The final DER calculation cannot be undertaken until the dwelling has been constructed, therefore compliance with part a) of the policy will be required through a condition attached to the planning permission.

2.16  It is recommended that a draft DER is calculated based on the plans and specifications for the new dwelling(s) prior to a planning application being submitted to ensure that the approved design and materials can achieve the 20% reduction in carbon emissions against the TER set out in the Building Regulations