With the CCRA3 report outlining the risk of higher temperatures in future Welsh summers, and a projected increase in the demand for mechanised cooling, will the Minister confirm what steps the Welsh Government will take to incentivise the uptake of passive cooling systems?
As part of the current Building Regulations Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) review, our stage 2A consultation (now closed) included provisions to mitigate the risk of overheating in new dwellings. The draft guidance included with the consultation required that passive measures to mitigate overheating risk must always be prioritised. Active measures such as air-conditioning should only be considered where it has been demonstrated that all reasonable passive measures have been applied first. The government response to the consultation is planned for later this year.