Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes

Environmental Audit Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 18 May 2020 Closed: 30 Nov 2021 Parliament page
Homes account for just under 30% of energy use and around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. It is one of the few sectors where emissions reductions have stalled. This inquiry will look at the Government's manifesto commitments and proposed strategies on energy efficiency and ask whether they … Read more
25 Recommendations
14 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
4 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
13 May
2021
Report published
21 Apr
2021
Correspondence
22 Mar
2021
Report published
22 Mar
2021
Correspondence
8 Feb
2021
Correspondence
14 Dec
2020
Correspondence
2 Dec
2020
Oral evidence
18 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
4 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
15 Oct
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
2 Dec 2020
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1
Ben Golding · Clean Power 2030 Emma Fraser · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Jon Fuller · HM Treasury Kemi Badenoch · HM Treasury Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
18 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Brian Berry · Federation of Master Builders George Munson · Leeds City Council and the Core Cities Energy Efficiency Group Karen Brown · Northern Housing Consortium Laura McGadie · Energy Saving Trust Mark Lynn · Eden Renewable Innovations Ltd (Thermafleece) Russell Smith · Retrofitworks Simon Ayers · TrustMark
4 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Claire Tracey · Nationwide Building Society Dr Joanne Wade OBE · The Association for Decentralised Energy Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE · Green Finance Institute Gavin Dick · National Residential Landlords Association Jonathan Ducker · Kingspan Mr Peter Smith · National Energy Action (NEA) Robert Tiffin · Ecotiffin
15 Oct 2020
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Jan Rosenow · The Regulatory Assistance Project Jenny Hill · Committee on Climate Change Jenny Holland · UK Green Building Council Katie Black · National Infrastructure Commission Michael Lewis · E.ON UK Pedro Guertler · E3G Sarah Kostense-Winterton · Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group Simon Bittlestone · National Audit Office
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes HC 346 22 Mar 2021 39 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
15 results
Clear
2 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
There is a wide variation in the costs for bringing all homes in the UK...
There is a wide variation in the costs for bringing all homes in the UK up to an EPC grade C. We have heard of costs averaging £18,000 to retrofit a property, before addition of a heat pump. Given that … Read more
Government Response
The government clarifies that its £35-£65 billion estimate focuses on achieving EPC C where practical, and does not cover full decarbonisation of homes and non-domestic buildings, which would indeed cost significantly more. They reference external estimates from the CCC suggesting much higher costs for full decarbonisation.
View details
3 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We recommend that the Government review the feasibility of its aspiration to achieve a minimum...
We recommend that the Government review the feasibility of its aspiration to achieve a minimum of EPC band C by 2035, given current progress on improving energy efficiency. As well as setting out how it plans to meet existing targets, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the recommendation by reiterating its commitment to the existing EPC band C by 2035 ambition, stating it believes it offers good value. It also noted the Heat and Buildings Strategy would set out policies for the 2020s, but did not commit to reviewing feasibility or increasing ambition.
View details
4 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We recommend that BEIS review its cost projections on energy efficiency and includes the cost...
We recommend that BEIS review its cost projections on energy efficiency and includes the cost of low carbon heating. The Department should consult the building and retrofit sector to ensure that its top-down modelling reflects real-world costs. It should also … Read more
Government Response
The government states its cost projections are continually reviewed and informed by consultation, and no homes are considered out of scope under its definitions. It will publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course to address actions for reducing emissions from buildings, including safeguards for properties that cannot reach energy efficiency aspirations.
View details
5 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
While the energy efficiency of two million homes has been successfully upgraded under the ECO,...
While the energy efficiency of two million homes has been successfully upgraded under the ECO, the number of measures installed has reduced significantly in recent years and the Government’s fuel poverty targets are not expected to be met. The inability … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges concerns about ECO's impact, stating ECO3 focuses on low-income households, and a £4bn scheme aims to meet fuel poverty targets. It intends to design ECO to complement other funding sources, explains why blending for the same measures is limited, and highlights the expanded Warm Home Discount and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund as additional support.
View details
8 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We welcome the clarification provided in the Energy White Paper that Home Upgrade Grants will...
We welcome the clarification provided in the Energy White Paper that Home Upgrade Grants will focus on the worst-quality off-gas grid homes with low income households in England. We consider that this focus is the right one. Using the indicative … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterates the Home Upgrade Grant's focus on worst-performing low-income off-gas grid homes, confirms £150m has been committed, and outlines other complementary schemes like ECO, SHDF, and the Clean Heat Grant that provide broader support for upgrading homes.
View details
10 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We welcome the Government’s introduction of a scheme for owner occupiers to fund energy efficiency...
We welcome the Government’s introduction of a scheme for owner occupiers to fund energy efficiency improvements. Such a scheme is essential in order to achieve the ambition to reach energy efficient homes by 2030, given this is by far the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme did not deliver as hoped, leading to its closure to new applications, and accepts it faced delivery challenges, while defending the initial swift rollout for economic stimulus and industry engagement.
View details
15 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We welcome the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme, and, in particular, the fact...
We welcome the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme, and, in particular, the fact that it can be used to deliver improvements across all tenures. We consider that it has real potential to help build local authority capacity and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's positive assessment of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme and local authorities' role, confirming it is closely monitoring project delivery.
View details
17 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We welcome the Social Housing Decarbonisation fund and support its aims to retrofit social housing...
We welcome the Social Housing Decarbonisation fund and support its aims to retrofit social housing at scale. However, to date only a fraction of the funding has been made available for demonstrator projects that may well not deliver the efficiencies … Read more
Government Response
The government details the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Demonstrator project, confirming £62m funding was awarded to 19 projects to improve over 2300 social homes, and explains that insights from this will inform the design of the longer-term SHDF.
View details
26 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
Green finance options are essential to encourage owner occupiers to take action on energy efficiency.
Green finance options are essential to encourage owner occupiers to take action on energy efficiency. We welcome the ambition of some leading lenders to make green mortgages available, and the Government consultation on how mortgage lenders can help householders to … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees green finance is critical for improving home energy performance, confirms their consultation on improving home energy performance through lenders closed in February 2021, and states they will review responses to develop further proposals.
View details
28 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
Despite the need to make progress in improving energy efficiency of 19 million homes to...
Despite the need to make progress in improving energy efficiency of 19 million homes to achieve net zero Britain objectives, no mention was made in the Budget statement on 3rd March by the Chancellor of energy efficiency, nor any steps … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the conclusion, explaining that it was inappropriate to comment on the Green Homes Grant scheme in the Budget due to ongoing performance issues, and subsequently announced the closure of the voucher scheme on March 27th.
View details
31 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
The Government should work with the financial services sector to devise and implement a communications...
The Government should work with the financial services sector to devise and implement a communications strategy to raise awareness about, and to encourage the uptake of, appropriate types of financing measures already on the market being offered, such as green … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees consumer awareness is vital and has engaged with stakeholders and consulted on improving access to information, stating they will consider responses for ongoing policy development.
View details
32 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
Energy Performance Certificates have a range of flaws, with their inability to reflect real-world energy...
Energy Performance Certificates have a range of flaws, with their inability to reflect real-world energy performance being the biggest challenge. Desk-based assessments with out-of-date software are doing nothing to improve the market value of decarbonised homes and do not accurately … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of ensuring Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) align with policy objectives and legally binding targets, but the response is incomplete regarding specific overhaul actions.
View details
33 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We recommend the EPC methodology is fundamentally overhauled to support low carbon heating measures by...
We recommend the EPC methodology is fundamentally overhauled to support low carbon heating measures by indicating, in its headline rating not only the fuel cost of heating a property but also its energy and carbon metrics. The measures in the … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed with the committee on the importance of aligning Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) with policy objectives and legally binding targets, but the provided response is truncated and does not detail specific actions to overhaul the methodology.
View details
37 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
We recommend the Government’s present basic energy advice service available in England is upgraded to...
We recommend the Government’s present basic energy advice service available in England is upgraded to a specialist bespoke advice service similar to the Home Energy Scotland network. This should include measures to identify the most appropriate financing programme for each … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the growing use of its Simple Energy Advice service, stating that any future development will be based on an iterative process of user testing, but did not commit to upgrading it to a specialist bespoke service similar to Home Energy Scotland.
View details
38 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency …
Sustainable building materials are not being utilised to anywhere like their full potential in the...
Sustainable building materials are not being utilised to anywhere like their full potential in the UK. The use of natural fibre insulation could have significant benefits for the UK’s older housing stock.
Government Response
The government recognises the importance of reducing embodied carbon and increasing the use of low-carbon materials in construction. They refer to the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, which outlines how industry can decarbonise and includes consideration of new policy approaches to support the market for low-carbon industrial materials.
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 25 classified
Accepted 9
Accepted in Part 5
Acknowledged 15
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 6
Total 25 recs + 14 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
21 Apr 2021 Chair to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the future of the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme, dated 19 April 2021
Parliament page
22 Mar 2021 Memorandum to the EAC from the Exchequer Secretary regarding the Green Homes Grant, dated 12 March 2021
Parliament page
8 Feb 2021 BEIS to Chair regarding Green Homes Grant Scheme, 22 January 2021
Parliament page
14 Dec 2020 Chair to BEIS, GHG survey, 11 Dec 2020
Parliament page