Concerted action unveiled to cut carbon

 

04.06.08

 

  • A new coalition – The Existing Homes Alliance – sets out the action required to put the UK housing stock on the road to deep cuts in carbon emissions and energy bills.
  • Up to half a million homes must be refurbished every year, starting now, if we are to cut UK carbon emissions by the necessary 80 per cent by 2050.

The Existing Homes Alliance, a newly formed coalition of distinguished housing and environmental organisations, businesses and government agencies, is spearheading concerted action to reduce the environmental impact of the UK’s existing housing stock (1). The organisation has set out the action it believes is required from government and industry to tackle the energy inefficiencies and high carbon emissions caused by the UK’s 26 million existing homes.

The Alliance is in no doubt about the magnitude and severity of the issue. The UK’s existing housing stock is responsible for over a quarter of all national carbon emissions. Coupled with the prediction that 85 per cent of today’s homes will still be in use by 2050, this means the UK will fall drastically short of its long range targets to reduce carbon emissions unless collaborative and immediate action is taken.

It is widely accepted that deep cuts of at least 80 per cent are needed by 2050, with major progress by 2020. According to the Alliance, this requires the UK to radically refurbish up to half a million homes every year starting now.

“Raising the energy efficiency of existing homes presents massive opportunities for the UK,” explains Dr Paul Ruyssevelt, Director at ESD and Acting Chair of the Existing Homes Alliance. “In forming the Alliance, we aim to drive concerted action among government, business, the housing sector and individuals to save carbon, create jobs, stimulate new business opportunities and reduce energy bills. Much as the zero carbon target for new homes is transforming the market, similar action on existing homes could enable the UK to become a world leader in tackling residential carbon emissions.”

WWF-UK, a coalition member and the Alliance’s new Chair and Secretariat (effective from June 2008), recognises that a united approach is essential to get the UK on track to meet its emission reduction targets.

“We need a new approach to tackle the issue of our existing homes,” explains Simon McWhirter, Homes Campaign Manager at WWF-UK. “Current government policies are piecemeal and industry has yet to step up to the challenge at a national level, resulting in scant support and incentives for homeowners. It doesn’t take much to realise that more efficient homes can not only help in the fight against climate change but can also result in lower fuel bills for homeowners. It is therefore about time that all sectors were brought together to identify and develop the solutions that will bring about these benefits.”

Bold measures proposed

The Existing Homes Alliance has developed a Declaration on the Future of Existing Housing which sets out the action required from businesses, housing and environmental organisations and government to put the UK housing stock on the road to deep cuts in carbon emissions and energy bills. The Declaration has already received backing from key companies and organisations across the range of sectors that it addresses.

Within its Declaration, the Alliance has detailed a number of bold measures which it supports as part of a UK wide programme of action, including:

  • A clear regulation timetable that takes account of measures such as enhanced building regulations, and minimum standards for household energy performance (based on the new Energy Performance Certificates)
  • A greater range of financial incentives to encourage investment by homeowners, landlords and housing managers, including VAT reform on refurbishment, stamp duty and council tax rebates, low interest rate loans, feed in tariffs, grants and energy service packages
  • A major programme of exemplar low energy refurbishments to help kick start the supply chain and drive innovation, investment and skills development. At least 500,000 homes should be targeted within 5 years and should include individual ‘exemplar’ houses within each local authority area as well as ‘whole street’ projects in areas of high fuel poverty concentration
  • Trusted installer registers, mandatory training and up-skilling for building professionals to cover the full range of energy and resource efficient techniques, and badging to make the public aware of these skills, such as for CORGI and registered electrical installers
  • A public information campaign to counter misconceptions among homeowners showing how to raise the environmental performance of their homes

“If we act now, and act decisively as a unified industry we can significantly reduce the impact that existing housing has on national CO2 emissions once and for all. This approach will ensure the UK can meet its international responsibilities while securing energy efficient and low carbon homes for future generations,” concludes Dr Ruyssevelt.