Thursday 16 March 2017

‘Policy must support low carbon heat and energy efficiency’

Simultaneously supporting low carbon heat and energy efficiency should be a key objective of energy policy.

That's according to a new report from the Sustainable Energy Association (SEA), which says addressing one of these areas without the other is a flawed approach and will not benefit homeowners, investors and government in the long term.

The group, which is made up of leading companies within the energy sector, has called on the government to set out a clear strategy to address these issues and make the UK's homes healthier, cheaper to run and more sustainable.

Its proposals include setting a target to bring all domestic properties up to EPC band C, implementing policies to reduce carbon emissions from new builds and including energy efficiency measures in Industrial Strategy.

It also suggests using carbon pricing as a tool to encourage low carbon solutions, upgrading construction standards and taking a 'technology neutral' approach to going green.

CEO of the SEA, Lesley Rudd, said: "At a time when the government is developing an Industrial Strategy and a Clean Growth Plan, a national strategy to address the standard of UK housing has the potential to modernise the UK’s aging buildings, improve the health of the people living in those buildings and create nationwide benefits and employment opportunities."