Housebuilding costs will soar if solar panels become mandatory, NFB warns

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) have claimed that installing solar panels on the roofs of new properties will add millions to the cost of developments.

Earlier this month the government announced the Future Homes and Building Standards consultation which has proposed that in order to become more environmentally-friendly, solar panels could be installed on new properties.  

However, the NFB have since expressed their concerns as this could pile on the costs of new developments. Rico Wojtulewicz, NFB head of policy and market insight said the decision would require developers to apply distribution network operators who are licensed to bring electricity from the National Grid to homes and businesses.

Rico said: ‘They’ve pushed photovoltaic panels as a great thing, but they aren’t if they’re merely an add-on and the environment for delivery is flawed.

‘This could involve investment in reinforcing the grid or installing three-phase electricity. There would also be the challenge of finding and paying for an accredited installer.’

As well as this, Rico said that a better use of resources would be for housebuilders to invest more in insulation and the technical details of a home such as the weight of the doors, wall thickness plus air tightness.

The UK Green Building Council, UKGBC, said the government couldn’t describe their proposals as a ‘future’ standard as they had opted for the least ambitious option possible.

Against this backdrop, Rico outlined that while the government is requiring that all homes are ready for electrification by 2025 it hadn’t looked at the warranty period for heat pumps and induction hobs. He said these electrical features could have a shorter life span than their gas counterparts.

UKGBC deputy chief executive Simon McWhirter said: ‘It’s unconscionable that the government is consulting on scrapping the expectation that new roofs should have solar panels, when this is already widely delivered through current regulations.’

Image: Mischa Frank

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