The Building Regulations Part L2A and L2B set energy performance standards for new and refurbished buildings and the energy efficiency of pumps is regulated in this way. The Department does not directly stipulate energy efficiency standards for circulator pumps either for existing or new buildings. Within our main programme for new schools, the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, our approach is to set targets for carbon emissions by a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.
In addition to these regulatory actions, we have developed guidance to help the designers of all newly built schools achieve their target level of carbon reduction. This guidance encourages the use of energy efficient equipment without being prescriptive about design solutions. Additional funding has been provided to three groups of new secondary schools to enable them to reduce their carbon emissions by 60 per cent: schools within BSF, academies and school projects procured directly by local authorities ahead of their scheduled BSF rebuild (One School Pathfinder schools).