Committee on Climate Change warns that action must be taken now to improve the quality of UK homes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report finds that emissions reductions from the UK’s 29 million homes have stalled, while energy use in homes – which accounts for 14% of total UK emissions – increased between 2016 and 2017.
CCC identifies several priorities for the government, including new homes should be built to be low-carbon, energy and water efficient, and climate resilient. From 2025 no new homes should be connected to the gas grid. They should be heated using low-carbon energy sources, have ultra-high levels of energy efficiency alongside appropriate ventilation, and be timber-framed where possible. This would involve the installation of ground source heat pumps and electrical appliances for heating water and cooking.
CCC arrests that the technology and knowledge to create high quality, low-carbon and resilient homes exists, but current policies and standards are failing to drive either the scale or the pace of change needed.