On 24th March, the Government published its response to The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation, alongside details of the forthcoming Approved Document L (2026). We welcome the incorporation of some of our key comments into the final response.
LEIA submitted a formal response to the consultation in early 2024. Nick Mellor and Micky Grover-White also met with the team responsible for drafting Approved Document L, particularly in relation to the proposed inclusion of lifts and escalators within its scope.
Inclusion of lifts and escalators within Building Regulations
A key outcome of the consultation is the decision to revise the definition of fixed building services to explicitly include lifts, escalators and moving walkways. This brings these systems formally into scope of energy efficiency requirements under Approved Document L.
Energy performance standards
The updated guidance introduces revised energy performance expectations for passenger lifts:
- An Energy Efficiency Rating of B will be permitted for certain passenger lifts (typically hydraulic lifts) travelling less than 25 metres or operating below 1.6 m/s.
- An Energy Efficiency Rating of A will remain the standard for other lifts.
While broadly in line with expectations, these proposals may require further consideration across the sector, particularly in relation to hydraulic lift applications.
Commissioning requirements – a positive outcome
Notably, the Government has decided not to proceed with the proposed commissioning standards for lifts and escalators within the consultation and will, instead, require lifts, escalator in moving walks to meet the existing requirements for commissioning of fixed building services in Approved Document L.
This significant outcome reflects LEIA’s recommendation that the proposed additional site-based energy testing would have introduced disproportionate complexity without clear benefit.
Clarifications and definitions
Further refinements include:
- Simplification and clarification of guidance following consultation feedback.
- Alignment of the definition of passenger lift with existing standards.
- Explicit exclusion of evacuation lifts and firefighter lifts from these requirements.
These changes provide greater clarity and consistency across standards and may also influence future specification decisions.
Looking ahead: implementation in 2027
Approved Document L Volume 2 is due to come into force on 24th March 2027. Key considerations include:
- New requirements for lift car lighting efficiency.
- The need to assess and minimise energy consumption through design-stage calculations using standards such as BS EN ISO 25745-2 and -3.
While these approaches avoid additional on-site testing, they may present practical challenges where detailed system data is not readily available.
Implications for existing buildings
The changes also have potential implications under Building Regulations, particularly:
- Regulation 28 – upgrades or capacity increases in larger buildings may trigger wider building-level compliance requirements.
- Regulation 40 – requirements to provide energy-related information following completion of works.
- Regulation 44 – expectations around commissioning to ensure reasonable energy use.
These areas will require further review to fully understand their impact on lift modernisation projects.
Next steps
These developments represent a significant shift in how lifts and escalators are considered within the UK’s energy performance framework.
LEIA’s Quality and Technical Committee (QTC) will now undertake a detailed review of the published documents to assess the full implications for members and the wider industry.
Further updates and guidance will be provided in due course.