Hothouses: Climate Change and London's Housing

As Green MEP for London, the region where emissions from the domestic sector account for 37%, higher than levels from Transport and the greatest of any English region, Jean Lambert warned that without a radical rethink over the UK’s housing emissions we will fail to meet targets and combat climate change.

“Energy use in and by homes across the UK amount to about 30% of our carbon emissions but this could be reduced by a minimum of 60% by 2050 or earlier if the right energy saving policies are applied.  The mechanisms in place to increase insulation and other forms of domestic energy savings however, are simply not fit for purpose and will not make the required impact.

“The urgency demanded by the threat of climate change and the problem of fuel poverty requires a greater and more focused commitment to drive this agenda forward.” 

Jean Lambert, Green MEP

Reccommendations
Hothouses makes 27 reccommendations to improve energy efficiency in housing.  Key recommendations in the report include:

• The UK Government needs to ensure early full compliance with Article 7 of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, in particluar the requirement for Energy Certificates for all rental properties.
• All pensioners in private housing should be eligible for Warm Front and similar schemes tackling fuel poverty – including free insulation.
• Tragets need to be set for the number of homes to have cavity wall insulation and figures and rates need to monitord yaerly and be reported to Parliament.  Data by region and tenure should be produced.
• Insulation measures need to be made an explicit priority of the Decent Homes Programme.  Local authorities, registered social landlords and all other agencies implementing decent homes need to make insulation improvements their priority area of action.
• Eligibility and avaliability of grants and interest free loans need to be extended significantly.  More proactive initiatives are needed to increase take up by those eligible.
• VAT on all energy saving measures, including DIY materials should be reduced, preferably to a zero rating.

Download the full report here 

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