Local manufacturer Calls for Closer Teamwork to Make New Homes More Energy Efficient
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 3 August 2026
UPDATED: 4 August 2026
As energy-efficiency rules for new homes change across the UK, Burton on Trent manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles is urging the government to work more closely with manufacturers, roofers, housebuilders and designers.
The UK Government plans to ensure that all new homes in England are ‘zero-carbon ready’ and can generate on-site renewable energy. The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is set to take effect in March next year. FHS aims to cut carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2028 compared to the 2013 building regulations, and all future house building and planning applications must meet the new requirements.
FHS mandates low-carbon heating (heat pumps) will replace traditional gas boilers, solar panels must cover the equivalent to 40 per cent of the ground floor area, and improved insulation and ventilation are required.
Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent concrete roof tile manufacturer supplying products for national housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company produces hundreds of thousands of tiles and related fittings and accessories every week that are used on pitched roofs across the UK.
Mark Parsons, Technical Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said:
“We are missing important industry alignment around the implementation of the Future Homes Standard. The building regulations seem to have been pushed through by policymakers without considering the opinions of roof tile manufacturers and roofers in the construction industry that will be implementing the changes.”
A leading expert in the industry for more than 30 years, Mark has been heavily involved with several national trade bodies and associations during his career. This more recently includes the Building Alliance which covers resilient UK building products manufacturing Industry and NHBC (National House Building Council), which aims to improve the quality of new homes.
Mark added:
“The ramifications of the Future Homes Standard are enormous. There are concerns as to whether there has been enough combined testing of roof build up construction with the underlay and BIPV when it comes to roof design performance, safety and ventilation.
“It appears there has not been sufficient consideration given to how the various components work specifically as a roofing system in the UK climate to avoid issues such as roof leaks, overheating and condensation over time. This is all without mentioning the confusion around who is responsible if something goes wrong and when or how maintenance or replacement work is to be carried out.”
Russell Roof Tiles has an ambitious target to achieve Net Zero Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2040, a decade earlier than the national target, thanks to continual investment in the latest technology at its manufacturing facilities. Since late 2024, the Solar PV array at its £18.5m plant in Burton on Trent has generated over 120,000kWh of clean electricity for the factory, saving approximately 120 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and offsetting energy costs.
