‘Housebuilders just want the cheapest thing possible’: how futureproof are new-build homes?

The government is considering a future homes standard for new-build housing but it is not yet clear what this will entail. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

The government’s delays in implementing low-carbon building regulations have benefited housebuilders and property developers by billions of pounds over the last eight years, while UK households shoulder the cost of soaring energy bills amid the energy crisis.

The sector, which is a significant Conservative donor overall, has saved at least £15bn since 2015 by building homes to old standards, without solar panels and batteries, heat pumps and effective insulation, a Guardian investigation recently found.