Alarm that historic buildings undergoing refurbishment will have to meet modern energy efficiency standards

Historic buildings undergoing refurbishment will have to be brought up to modern energy efficiency standards, according to a June consultation on Part L of the Building Regulations.

Experts have hit out at the proposals, which are buried in the small print of the 800-page consultation. The existing exemption for historic buildings would be removed and instead they would have to be upgraded where reasonably and practically possible.

Local authority conservation and building control officers would decide on the balance between efficiency improvements and preserving the building’s character.

Robert Adam, director of Robert Adam Architects, said proper research was needed on insulation solutions for old buildings. He said: “This could lead to a complete nightmare.“

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