SDLP Energy spokesperson and Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin
The minister has now launched a consultation on building regulations that would cut carbon emissions from new buildings.
It follows a public call by Mrs McLaughlin in September for the urgent introduction of stronger new building regulations to curb carbon emissions.
University of Exeter academics last month warned the Assembly’s Economy Committee that Northern Ireland must urgently adopt revised building regulations to avoid the latest generation of new homes requiring expensive retrofits in a few years to bring down their carbon emissions.
Said the Foyle MLA: “While I welcome the opening of consultation on improved building regulations in the North, we remain far behind the action taken in the South.
“Minister Murphy could potentially adopt the South’s building regulations in the North to achieve a quick win.
“We need urgent, radical action to ensure that homes being built today do not need to be upgraded in just another few years.
“We must take climate change much more seriously and that requires much stronger regulation to enforce energy efficiency in new homes that cut carbon emissions.
“At present, housing developers can build new homes that continue to rely on the burning of fossil fuels that make the climate crisis worse.
“This is unacceptable.
“Owing to a quirk of history, responsibility for building regulations sits with the Department of Finance and its minister Conor Murphy.
“He must act decisively and quickly in adopting much stronger and more resilient building regulations.”
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