London continues to outperform the rest of the UK in cutting energy use, driving down carbon emissions and supporting investment in green technologies from new developments through the
Mayor Sadiq Khan’s planning policies, according to a new report.
The Mayor’s London Plan includes policies that address both the climate emergency and the housing crisis, as well as setting out how to make London a greener and healthier city for all. The London Plan’s net zero carbon target applies to all major planning applications and is delivering carbon reductions which are over 50 per cent more than required by national building regulations. Where developers cannot achieve net zero onsite, they also contribute funds to support other decarbonisation projects in London boroughs.
The new ‘2022 Energy Monitoring Report’, published by City Hall, summarises the impact of Mayoral policies on the 47,862 new dwellings and 2.4 million m2 of non-residential floorspace approved in 2022 that were referred to the Mayor.
Key findings include:
Nearly 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from proposed new developments were saved compared to if they were built only to national building regulations. Savings from residential buildings were 57 per cent greater than national requirements, up 4 per cent from 2021. Reductions in non-residential buildings were 49 per cent, up by 5 per cent in 2021. The carbon saved is equivalent to 50,000 return flights from London to New York.
118 of 134 proposed developments will be heated through heat pumps, a total of 31,000 homes (including 103 large scale heat pumps serving multiple homes) and an increase of 8,000 homes from 2021.
Nearly £30 million of new investment has been made in solar panels, doubling capacity secured in 2021 across 96 per cent of developments.
For the first time eight large developments have been designed as ‘net zero buildings’ from the outset and achieved net zero carbon through on-site measures alone (in 2021 all applications required offsetting to meet net zero carbon).
As well as onsite savings, an estimated £162.2 million is potentially available through carbon offsets to support climate action in the boroughs.
The report underlines the important role cities can play, where they are given power to drive down carbon emissions, reducing energy costs, supporting supply chains and driving investment in clean technology.
London’s progress comes in sharp contrast to what is happening nationally as only this month the Government launched a new consultation on the aims of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard. In this consultation the Government has opted for the least ambitious option that would deliver buildings at a standard that is far lower than the current London Plan. The Mayor continues to call on the Government to ensure homes are built to a standard that means they are affordable to heat, and to tackle existing leaky homes with a retrofit revolution that has been missing for over a decade now.
Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Shirley Rodrigues said: “The Mayor has committed to reaching net zero carbon by 2030 and this report shows that we are progressing swiftly in the right direction.
“Sadiq is using all his powers to help boost London’s green economy while accelerating climate action through his many energy saving initiatives. Whilst the UK is falling behind on key targets, London is leading the way with ambitious planning policies that support the environment, bring down energy bills and help Londoners become more energy efficient.
“Carbon emissions in London are falling much faster than if we followed national policy. The Mayor has repeatedly called on the Government to do more to help achieve net zero by 2030 or devolve more powers and resources to Mayor’s who are willing to step up. With more funding and support we can build a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.”
Helena Rivers, Net Zero Lead, Building and Places, Europe and India, AECOM said: “The GLA’s latest energy monitoring report shows that its ambitious London Plan policies to help the capital achieve net zero by 2030 continue to make a difference, with on-site carbon emissions for new developments in the city half the levels of national Building Regulation requirements. AECOM is proud of its long-standing partnership with the GLA to help develop and implement these vital strategies and policies that lay the foundation for a greener future for London.”
The GLA has also today published the 2021 Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which estimates the total carbon emissions produced by London. The latest data shows that London’s total greenhouse gas emissions were 28.7 million tonnes, a reduction of 44 per cent compared to 2000, when London's emissions peaked, and 37 per cent against the 1990 baseline. Despite a growing population and economy, London’s emissions per person have halved by 51 per cent, from 6.7 MtCO2e per capita in 1990 to 3.3 MtCO2e per capita in 2021. Compared to the rest of the UK, London still has the lowest CO2 per capita emissions of any region.