England’s Building Regulations provide an insight into how building design is evolving over time — the key challenges and preoccupations at a given moment. As a template for what a safe, healthy building should be, they are also an important indicator of the direction of travel government wants building design and the wider construction industry to move in.

These changes are reflective of a time where cutting carbon and creating well-ventilated spaces are paramount. Introduced by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), the new regulations are primarily driven by the pursuit of the UK’s legally binding net zero 2050 goal and reflects the global need to decarbonise. While 2050 may seem a long-distance target, buildings increasingly will need to meet stringent carbon emission standards if the UK is to meet its goal.

The updated rules have also been influenced by the Coronavirus pandemic. This has made clear the need for effective ventilation in buildings, particularly in high-density shared spaces such as offices. Furthermore, office tenants are more aware than ever of a building’s health elements.

Perhaps one of the most important things to recognise is that these updates are setting the stage for larger changes in three years’ time.

These uplifts are an interim — and preparatory — measure ahead of the much wider-reaching Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard, which are due in 2025 and will apply to new homes and new non-domestic buildings respectively. The 2022 changes are intended to help make the transition to the more stringent new standards easier for the industry.

This article will look at what the changes mean for new non-domestic buildings, considering the implications for three types of building: a central London office; an out-of-town office; and a large distribution centre.