The delays mean that homeowners and taxpayers will have to pay tens of billions of pounds to bring newly built homes up to low-carbon standards, and have resulted in years of unnecessarily high greenhouse gas emissions and higher energy bills for residents.
At least 10% of donations received by the Conservative party since 2010 came from property developers, real estate tycoons and others connected with the construction industry, exclusive Guardian analysis shows.
The government is to implement fresh delays to green regulations, after the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, announced a rollback of net zero policies last month that will benefit housebuilders still further.
The Guardian found housebuilders, developers and real estate tycoons donated almost £40m to the Tories since 2010, when their coalition with the Lib Dems took office.
The construction sector - including some companies that are not Tory party donors - has saved at least £15bn since 2015 by building homes to old, high-carbon standards, without solar panels and batteries, heat pumps and effective insulation.
The cost of remedying these omissions in order to reach the UK's target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, if left to individual homeowners or taxpayers, would reach £45bn, according to the analysis.
Since 2015, the Conservative government has made several decisions that saved money for housebuilders while running counter to the UK's green targets. These include refusing to require new homes to be built with heat pumps or solar panels, delaying insulation regulations and attempting to scrap regulations that would force housebuilders to clean up polluted watercourses.
This story is from the October 06, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 06, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Filter Cast-iron alternatives to Le Creuset for less
Le Creuset's colourful pans have long topped the wishlists of amateur and professional cooks.
Money hacks How to find a pet-sitter you can trust
Unless you have family, a friend or a neighbour who can care for your pet when you're away, you'll need to find a pet-sitter you can trust.
Pensions An A to Z of how to save for your retirement
Everything you need to know to plan for your future and make the most of your finances. Rupert Jones and Hilary Osborne report
'A fork in the road' AI's bid to help on laundry days at Europe's tech summit
This year's Web Summit in Lisbon was all about artificial intelligence and a robot sorting laundry.
Brexit So how could Labour improve EU ties for the sake of growth?
The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, said this week that Brexit had undermined the UK's economy, and urged the government to improve relations with the EU for the sake of growth.
Aviation Flying taxis: destined never to take off?
In a dreary November day in the Cotswolds, the VX4 - a cross between a plane and a helicopter - rose from an airport runway, hovered a few feet off the ground and set back down.
Property firm back in profit as workers return to offices
One of Britain's biggest property developers has provided further evidence of the return to office working, saying occupancy in its central London offices is at an all-time high and the value of its portfolio has returned to growth.
Analysis Summer of dark warnings from the Treasury may have cast a shadow on growth
It was hardly surprising that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, declared herself \"not satisfied\" with the news that the UK's GDP expanded by a measly 0.1% in the three months to September.
Contracting GDP adds to German woes as general election looms
Germany's looming general election will be fought against the backdrop of a stagnating economy, the European Commission has forecast, with GDP expected to have contracted in 2024.
UK economy slows amid jitters over Labour budget
The UK economy slowed to a near-standstill in the third quarter as uncertainty around Labour's first budget and high interest rates weighed on business and consumer spending.
