The UK Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy has laid out important high-level decisions on the UK’s approach to reducing emissions from heating buildings.
The Strategy sets a new policy direction, focusing on a rapid scale-up of supply chains through a market-based approach.
However, the Climate Change Committee’s latest analysis of the strategy concludes that the plans are not yet comprehensive or complete and significant delivery risks remain.
Consultations need to move forward, the CCC states, followed rapidly by final decisions on policy design and effective implementation if the Strategy’s ambitious goals are to be met.
The CCC, the UK’s independent adviser on climate change, has outlined five priorities for the Government:
- to fill policy gaps including on home energy efficiency and funding to decarbonise public sector buildings;
- to build on initial proposals for critical enablers such as skills, information, finance and governance;
- to strengthen the coordination of the UK strategy with devolved and local plans;
- to take major strategic decisions, particularly addressing the relative costs of electricity and gas; and
- to move forward rapidly with the large number of planned consultations and policy papers over the next year, ensuring promising proposals become concrete and timely policy.
The CCC states that it provides this advice in the context of heightened concerns over energy security and record increases in energy bills reflecting record highs in international gas prices.
“Policy design will have to reflect the new circumstances, which reinforce the need for urgent action to deliver the goals of the Heat and Buildings Strategy,” the report continues. “Delivering on these goals will help to protect UK consumers from future price spikes and increase energy security by reducing energy needs and shifting demand from gas to electricity, which in future will be predominantly supplied from UK-based renewable generation.”
UKGBC’s Chief Executive Officer Julie Hirigoyen welcomed the CCC Assessment and said it highlights major policy gaps in the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy which must now be filled urgently, given the soaring costs of gas and electricity and energy security concerns.
She said it was clear that rapid decisions were now required and continued: “The Government must now take bold steps to fill the key gaps identified, including moving us away from fossil fuel heating in homes, reforming planning to support net zero, and dramatically accelerating the pace of energy efficiency upgrades. These crucial steps clearly echo the findings of UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, which sets out the key milestones and policies needed to decarbonize the built environment.
“The Prime Minister should start by making energy efficiency central to his new Energy Independence Strategy – reducing overall energy demand eases to the path to independence. The Chancellor should also take the opportunity of the forthcoming Spring Statement to announce additional funding for energy efficiency schemes, cut VAT from home retrofit and expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
“As we face pressures on multiple fronts, the importance and value of sustainability in the built environment has never been clearer.”
RIBA President, Simon Allford
said: “The Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) assessment of the
Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy picks up on the key shortcomings of
the Government’s plan, as identified in our initial response.
“Critically the CCC recognises that the Government must bring forward home
energy efficiency upgrades. The worsening energy price crisis and the
importance of delivering on net zero commitments emphasise the urgent need for
a well-funded National Retrofit Strategy that incorporates incentives such as
adapting existing tax mechanisms.
“The CCC also rightly points out that the Government is yet to address the
issue of embodied carbon in new builds – crucial to reaching net zero, and
something we have long been calling for.
“Four months on from COP26, I hope this report reminds the Government of its
stated commitment to push forward the climate agenda and act as a world-leader
in tackling the challenges we face.”
