Climate rules may stop homeowners from building conservatories

New regulations could mean restrictions on conservatories, patio doors and floor-to-ceiling windows

Regulations are being introduced amid concerns that Britain’s homes are at risk of hotter summer temperatures due to global warming. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

New properties will face limitations on window sizing from June, including the building of conservatories, following calls from climate groups to prevent overheating in summer.

The new rules limit window sizes depending on floor area and could result in less conservatories, patio doors and floor-to-ceiling windows being built.

The regulations are being introduced after concerns that Britain’s homes are at risk of becoming uninhabitable if summer temperatures continue to rise due to global warming.

Rico Wojtulewicz, head of housing and planning policy at the National Federation of Builders, told the Daily Telegraph: “We can build heavily glazed buildings but smaller companies who do a number of different housing types on one development may avoid it, due to the potential cost of the dynamic thermal modelling on each home.”

He said conservatories could become a “premium product” as lower-priced and mid-market companies are deterred from building them while high-end builders continue to do so.

But, conservatories could be exempt from the rules if they are unheated and are separated from a house with exterior doors and walls.

Andrew Mitchell, director of energy services at construction consultancy Stroma, said to the Telegraph: “Conservatories are a loophole in the regulations as long as you keep the divide. You can keep the conservatory if you have that divide from the home. If you’re going to heat it - you’ve run straight into trouble.”

He added that rules and regulations on building new homes could restrict builders and result in more standardised, less unique homes in the UK.

"We are going to get boring homes across the country because the regulations have got so hard," Mr Mitchell said.

The rules are a part of restructuring of building standards for newly-built homes which are set to come into force in June, and come as the government said overheating in homes was a risk due to Britain’s changing climate.

A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities said: “It is vital we adapt as we prepare to face the reality of climate change. This includes making sure our new homes are fit for the future by reducing the risk of overheating.”