6 Provision needs to be included to accomodate the equipment required for sustainable forms of heating. Ground sourced heat pumps can be more efficient and create less noise than air-sourced heat pumps, but can be costly and difficult to retrofit, so should be considered as part of any initial design. Provision needs to ensure that the noise generated by air sourced heat pumps does not cause disturbance or nuisance, especially in rural and small village locations, and especially as the equipment ages. I would strongly recommend the inclusion of a specific subsection in section 6 that deals with good design around sustainable energy sources and clean heating systems.

6.24 The provisions around solar (photovoltaic or PV) power are inadequate. Where possible and sensitive to do so, roofs should be designed and orientated so as to be suitable to easily accomodate clean energy schemes, even where these are not fitted at the initial build phase.