Friday 2 June 2023

‘Homes must be energy efficient when sold’

Minimum energy efficiency standards need to become obligatory for homes before the keys change hands.

That’s according to the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), which claims that eight million solid wall properties are currently uninsulated and are leading to higher energy bills for those that own them.

The trade association is calling for the government to implement new regulations for 2026 to ensure these new green standards would be in place before a property is sold.

In addition, it is calling for green financing schemes to also be made available to homeowners to allow them to make the necessary changes.

The ADE warns new regulations are urgently needed if the UK is to achieve the efficiency upgrades to 17 million homes by 2035, as outlined in the Heat and Buildings Strategy.

Chris Friedler, Energy Efficiency Policy Manager at the ADE, said: “Implementing minimum energy efficiency standards on households at the point of sale will have a transformative impact on gas usage in the UK, thereby tackling climate change, enhancing energy security and reducing bills. Moreover, the inclusion of green finance measures will empower households, requiring no upfront payments and with cost caps removing risk.”