Environment Minister, John Griffiths has welcomed new powers that will help to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly construction in Wales.

Responsibility for building regulations have been transferred wholly to the Welsh Government. Responsibility had previously sat with the UK Government.

The Minister said: "As a Government we are committed to reducing the carbon emissions of the built environment and to moving to building standards that will deliver housing that is much more energy efficient.

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"We have already made significant efforts to achieve these aims through our planning policies; however we recognise that building regulations will be one of the key tools in helping us to reach our goals.

"Now that Wales has responsibility for setting its own building regulations we will be progressing work to make changes to that will enable us to deliver a 55% improvement on 2006 requirements for new homes.

"Not only will this help us to decrease the carbon emissions of the built environment in Wales, it will also result in new homes that are much warmer and cheaper to heat."

The Welsh Government is holding a series of stake holder events to inform its proposals for increased standards for new and existing homes and non domestic buildings. The Environment Minister is expected to consult on these proposals in March 2012.

(CD/GK)