Existing Homes Alliance calls for retrofit commitment to drive low carbon economyThe Existing Homes Alliance – chaired by WWF-UK and involving a wide range of organisations involved with housing and sustainable building, including the AECB, has launched its manifesto for transforming existing homes.
The Alliance is calling for long term commitment to retrofit targets, including regulatory standards, fiscal incentives set for the long term, and an upgrade to the Energy Performance Certificate system so that it makes more of a contribution to delivering these goals.
The combination of standards and incentives across the mass of existing homes would give the momentum needed to build a new, low carbon economy, and would deliver huge benefits to the most vulnerable in society, the Alliance argues.
Key demands in the manifesto include:
• All homes to have a whole house retrofit by 2030
• £6bn a year should be invested in retrofitting the UK’s existing stock
• A 2010 to 2030 roadmap to set out minimum regulatory standards and voluntary aspirational standards for the energy performance of homes
• Energy Performance Certificates to gain greater prominence in the marketing of homes, to ensure that energy efficiency standards are reflected in house prices
• A range of financing mechanisms are made available to homeowners to cover the upfront costs of retrofitting
• Greater investment in a support and advice programme that will engage homeowners to use less energy in their homes and seek higher EPC rated properties
To hit these targets, government needs to make a long term commitment to a National Retrofit Programme for existing homes, says the Alliance. They argue that this programme could be a central part of our transition to a low carbon economy, providing certainty for businesses investing in low carbon measures for homes and save billions in energy bills – particularly benefiting the most vulnerable people in society.
The National Retrofit Programme needs a strong central administration and effective local targeting. It should also allow for innovation and entrepreneurship among companies to bring together finance in new ways to deliver neighbourhood refurbishment programmes.
More information from
www.existinghomesalliance.org.ukEHA members include:AECB, the Association for the Conservation of Energy, Chartered Institute of Housing, the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, Camco, Environmental Change Institute, the Housing Corporation, Places for People, the Sustainable Development Commission, the Sustainable Energy Academy, UCL The Bartlett and WWF-UK.
Author