In this report, Roger Hitchin of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in the UK looks at the role of building regulations, critically reviewing the way in which building regulations in selected countries around the world can contribute to achieving energy efficiency. The aim was to see if it possible to identify possible “best practice” for energy-related building codes and regulations in the context of both UK and world-wide conditions and needs. 

The specific ways in which building regulations deal with energy efficiency will inevitably differ around the world, depending on climatic circumstances. However, what this report addresses is whether there are any principles underlying their formulation, compliance and enforcement that could be highlighted. 

There is general acceptance that building energy codes are an important energy policy instrument. In many countries, especially in Europe, more demanding codes have resulted in the buildings that are constructed today being much more energy-efficient than those of twenty years ago. Since energy policy concerns and priorities legitimately differ from country to country, it is very unlikely that there can be a universally applicable building energy code. However, the review identified some features of code structure that have been demonstrated to be applicable over a range of different situations and have been  widely recognised as representing good practice.