25 Million Homes Could Hold Key To Reducing Carbon Emissions But Government Needs To Do More To Incentivise Homeowners

30 March 2009

MPs and industry experts are united in the belief that the retrofitting of eco technologies across the UK's existing housing stock could hold the key to significantly reducing the UK's carbon emissions. The conclusion was drawn at the first parliamentary roundtable on sustainable housing, hosted by VELUX Company Ltd this month.

The panel of 14 representatives, including Lib Dem environment spokesperson Martin Horwood, Labour MP Alan Simpson and Head of Sustainability for VELUX Kevin Brennan, agreed that the UK's ageing housing stock needs urgent attention if we are to meet climate change obligations.

Alan Simpson, Labour MP for Nottingham South and chair of the All Party Warm Homes Group, said: "The challenge the UK has to face in terms of climate change is not going to be determined by the new houses that we build but by what we do about the 25 million existing houses that people live in today."

Martin Horwood, Lib Dem environment spokesperson, reinforced this view, adding: "The need to tackle the retro-fitting of all existing housing stock is the biggest priority."

However, to make this a reality the panel agreed that more work needs to be done to raise consumer awareness and to bring in meaningful financial incentives and a Government accreditation scheme to assist homeowners when installing measures such as solar thermal into their homes.

"The Government really needs a policy that is going to address these financial issues and also have some kind of accreditation system," added Helen Eveleigh, policy advisor for Sustainable Development.

VELUX Company Ltd is campaigning for greater awareness and greater integration of key eco technologies across the UK's new and existing housing stock. The company plans to raise awareness of simple, easy to install eco technologies such as solar thermal, which have an important role to play in significantly reducing the burden our homes put on the environment.

Kevin Brennan, Head of Sustainability for VELUX concludes:

"Over 75% of the UK housing stock is suitable for solar thermal technology, yet only 100,000 homes currently have this technology installed, resulting in an additional 3.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions being released into the UK's atmosphere every year.

"Installing something as simple as a solar hot water system into every compatible home in the UK would equate to significant energy savings. However, if we are to see the widespread understanding and appetite for such technologies become commonplace then we need to focus on educating the nation's homeowners and offering them real, tangible incentives to ensure the future uptake of such essential technologies."

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