§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the current building regulations laid down for minimum thermal insulation standards compare with EEC regulations.
§ Mr. ArmstrongIt is difficult to compare current minimum insulation standards in the building regulations with the requirements of other members of the EEC because of differences in approach to their formulation. The following table, however, based largely on a study prepared for the European Commission, compares the termal transfer co-efficients (or U-values) for the two most important structural elements of dwellings in three of the largest member states:
EXTERNAL WALLS (INCLUDING WINDOWS)U-VALUES (SEE NOTE A) United Kingdom (see Note B) Germany France (see Note C) Bungalow detached 1.8 1.85 1.95 House detached 1.8 1.85 1.8 semi-detachd 2.2 2.0 1.5 centre terrace 3.1 2.15 2.25 Flat end 2.2 2.0 2.1 center 3.1 2.15 3.1 ROOF U-VALUES (SEE NOTE A) 0.60 0.68 0.60 NOTES: A—The lower the U-value, the better the insulation. B—The figures are for England and Wales. Those for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not significantly different. C—For a dwelling with a floor area of 100 square metres in the climatic zone most similar to the United Kingdom. Proposals to extend thermal insulation regulations to commercial and industrial buildings in this country have been circulated for comment.