The UK is at the crossroads of boosting home energy efficiency
By David Lennan , Chairman, National Warm Homes Council The government recently closed its public consultation on improving home energy performance. But do plans to reform Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) go far enough for millions of families across Britain living in cold, damp, and unhealthy homes? Improving the UK's housing stock is critical to achieving the government's climate objectives. According to government statistics, houses account for around 20% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with 13% of households in England classed as fuel-poor. Supporting people to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes will help lower emissions, with the added benefit of significantly reducing energy bills and energy demand. Leaky, poorly insulated, energy-inefficient homes are, by their very nature, expensive to run, and this in itself should encourage homeowners to upgrade their properties. However, government policymakers should be reminded that the...