Energy rule effectiveness 'unclear'

The Commons Public Accounts Committee said the effectiveness of the regulations on energy performance was "uncertain" as little was known about the implementation of them.

It said more than 80% of the expected energy savings by 2020 came from them and obligations on suppliers, whose achievement was outside direct departmental control.

The committee also said building control officers were not prioritising enforcement of the regulations and called on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Householders were confronted with a "confusingly wide range of advice" on energy efficiency from the Government, energy suppliers and others, and simpler ways to communicate the energy performance of appliances should be used, such as a traffic light system or a website to compare performance.

While energy consumption in the home fell between 2004 and 2007, the UK still lagged behind other European countries.

Houses were still using 8% more energy than in 1990 and usage would rise as more homes were built and people used more electrical appliances, the MPs said in their latest report.

They said consumption had shown an "encouraging" fall but the UK still lagged behind other European countries. To meet economy-wide energy consumption targets, household energy consumption must fall by 11% by 2010 and a further 2% by 2016, compared with 2001-05 levels.

The committee called on DCLG to "check that all building control officers are fully trained and are using their powers effectively to enforce the energy savings requirements in the building regulations."

It added: "Little is known about the extent of compliance with the energy saving parts of current building regulations, so the adequacy and effectiveness of the regulations on energy performance in practice is uncertain. The Department for Communities and Local Government should set out a clear plan for testing energy performance routinely on a sample basis to check on compliance, the effectiveness of the buildings control regime and, ultimately, the effectiveness of building regulations in delivering reduced energy consumption."