Part B: Information Matching (2023)

Net-zero Rules Set to Send Cost of New Homes and Extensions Soaring

New building regulations aimed at improving energy efficiency are set to increase the price of new homes, as well as those of extensions and loft conversions on existing ones.

The rules, which came into effect on Wednesday in England, are part of government plans to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. They set new standards for ventilation, energy efficiency and heating, and state that new residential buildings must have charging points for electric vehicles.

The moves are the most significant change to building regulations in years, and industry experts say they will inevitably lead to higher prices at a time when a shortage of materials and high labour costs are already driving up bills.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, says the measures will require new materials, testing methods, products and systems to be installed. “All this comes at an increased cost during a time when prices are already sky high. Inevitably, consumers will have to pay more,” he says.

Gareth Belsham, of surveyors Naismiths, says people who are upgrading, or extending their home, will be directly affected. “The biggest changes relate to heating and insulation,” he explains. “There are new rules concerning the amount of glazing used in extensions, and any new windows or doors must be highly insulated.”

Windows and doors will have to adhere to higher standards, while there are new limits on the amount of glazing you can have to reduce unwanted heat from the sun.

Thomas Goodman, of MyJobQuote, says this will bring in new restrictions for extensions. “Glazing on windows, doors and roof lights must cover no more than 25% of the floor area to prevent heat loss,” he says.

As the rules came into effect last Wednesday, property developers were rushing to file plans just before the deadline. Any plans submitted before that date are considered to be under the previous rules, and can go ahead as long as work starts before 15 June next year.

Builders which have costed projects, but have not filed the paperwork, may need to go back and submit fresh estimates, says Marcus Jefford of Build Aviator.

Materials prices are already up 25% in the last two years. How much overall prices will increase as a result of the rule changes is not clear. “Whilst admirable in their intentions, they will add to the cost of housebuilding at a time when many already feel that they are priced out of homeownership,” says Jonathan Rolande of the National Association of Property Buyers. “An average extension will probably see around £3,000 additional cost thanks to the new regs.”

John Kelly, a construction lawyer at Freeths law firm, believes prices will eventually come down. But not in the immediate future. “As the marketplace adapts to the new requirements, and the technologies that support them, the scaling up of these technologies will eventually bring costs down, but in the short term, we will all have to pay the price of the necessary transition,” he says.

However, the long-term effects of the changes will be more comfortable and energy-efficient homes, adds Andrew Mellor, of PRP architects. “Homeowners will probably recoup that cost over time in energy bill savings. It will obviously be very volatile at the moment, but they will have that benefit over time.”

Questions & Options

41. Brian Berry

42. Gareth Belsham

43. Marcus Jefford

44. John Kelly

45. Andrew Mellor

[A]The rise of home prices is a temporary matter.

[B]Builders possibly need to submit new estimates of their projects.

[C]There will be specific limits on home extensions to prevent heat loss.

[D]The new rules will take home prices to an even higher level.

[E]Many people feel that home prices are already beyond what they can afford.

[F]The new rules will affect people whose home extensions include new windows or doors.

[G]The rule changes will benefit homeowners eventually.

答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)

41. Brian Berry 对应 [D] The new rules will take home prices to an even higher level.
【解析】定位第4段。Brian Berry 提到这些措施需要新材料和新系统，“All this comes at an increased cost during a time when prices are already sky high. Inevitably, consumers will have to pay more”（所有这些都带来了成本增加，而此时价格已经极高。消费者不可避免地将不得不支付更多）。这对应选项 [D]：“新规则将把房价推向更高的水平”。

42. Gareth Belsham 对应 [F] The new rules will affect people whose home extensions include new windows or doors.
【解析】定位第5段。Gareth Belsham 说那些正在升级或扩建房屋的人将直接受到影响，并特别指出：“...any new windows or doors must be highly insulated”（任何新的窗户或门都必须是高度隔热的）。这对应选项 [F]：“新规则将影响那些房屋扩建包括新窗户或新门的人”。

43. Marcus Jefford 对应 [B] Builders possibly need to submit new estimates of their projects.
【解析】定位第9段。Marcus Jefford 明确指出：“Builders which have costed projects... may need to go back and submit fresh estimates”（已经估价的建筑商……可能需要返回并提交新的估算）。“submit fresh estimates”直接同义替换为选项 [B] 中的“submit new estimates”。

44. John Kelly 对应 [A] The rise of home prices is a temporary matter.
【解析】定位第11段。John Kelly 认为价格“eventually come down”（最终会下降），并且强调我们只是“in the short term”（在短期内）需要为这种过渡付出代价。这说明房价上涨只是暂时的，对应选项 [A]：“房价的上涨是一个暂时的问题（temporary matter）”。

45. Andrew Mellor 对应 [G] The rule changes will benefit homeowners eventually.
【解析】定位最后一段。Andrew Mellor 指出长远来看房子会更舒适和节能，“Homeowners will probably recoup that cost over time... they will have that benefit over time”（房主随着时间的推移可能会收回成本……随着时间的推移他们将获得这种好处）。对应选项 [G]：“规则的改变最终将使房主受益”。

【干扰项排除】
[C] 提到了防止热量流失的具体限制（prevent heat loss），这是第7段 Thomas Goodman 说的话，但他不在左侧的人名列表中。
[E] 提到了许多人觉得房价已经超出了他们的承受能力（priced out of homeownership），这是第10段 Jonathan Rolande 说的话，他也不在列表中。