London Mayor's policies set to halve emissions from new buildings

London achieved 57 per cent higher carbon savings in proposed new buildings than required by national building regulations in 2023, new City Hall data has revealed.

The Mayor’s London Plan - which sets out policies that address the global climate emergency and the housing crisis while providing a blueprint to make London a greener and healthier city - is said to be helping to drive these achievements.

New data also reveals that London’s overall emissions have fallen 21 per cent since start of the Mayor’s tenure in 2016, significantly faster than the national average. 

City Hall’s 2023 Energy Monitoring Report, published today, showcases the significant impact of the Mayor’s policies and highlights the vital role cities play when they are given power to drive down carbon emissions, reduce energy costs, support supply chains and drive investment in clean technology. The report highlights: 

Emissions from proposed new developments were less than half of the CO2 levels required to meet national Building Regulations, with a saving of over 32,000 tonnes. 

More than a quarter of this saving came from energy efficiency measures – saving 8,552 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This is the equivalent to adding loft insulation to over 13,000 homes. 

Around 80 per cent of proposed developments in the capital, featuring over 20,000 homes and more than 1,000,000m2 of non-residential floor space, plan to use heat pumps for their heating system – the majority being large, centralised heat pumps supplying communal and site-wide heat networks. These heating systems service a number of buildings on a site.  

Deputy mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, said: “It’s fantastic to see London leading the country in reducing emissions and that the Mayor’s ambitious planning policies are bringing down energy bills and helping Londoners become more energy efficient. 

“The Mayor has committed to making London a net zero-carbon city by 2030 and this new data shows we are progressing in the right direction. 

“Sadiq and I continue will continue to work tirelessly to help boost London’s green economy to build a better, greener city for everyone.”