25 January 2012
The route to 2050: high-speed buildings
An important energy demand reduction strategy from Oxford University
A new report from the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University today outlines the strategy to transform the UK’s built environment. It will enable the UK Government to achieve its legal obligations on climate change by reducing C02 emissions from buildings to zero by 2050 in an equitable way.
Achieving Zero covers all energy use in all buildings – homes and businesses. The report’s strategy will create healthier, more comfortable buildings to live and work in, lift millions of people out of fuel poverty, and improve the UK’s energy security. This will be considerably cheaper than providing new energy supply.
As the report’s eminent author Dr Brenda Boardman makes clear, a strong legislative framework on energy demand reduction and a range of supportive policies will result in all UK buildings heading for zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will cut the cost of annual energy bills for all and be of particular importance to the millions of householders who live in fuel poverty.
Speaking prior to the launch of the report, which will take place at the Retrofit conference at Salford University on Wednesday 25 January, Dr Boardman said: “Achieving zero shows how government policy can enable us all to save energy with a strong, clear strategy to deliver high standards of energy-efficient homes, buildings and products. The change in perspective is substantial, as in future the value of our homes and offices will be linked to their energy efficiency. Reducing our demand for energy becomes an investment for every property owner.”
Achieving zero describes a triple-win situation through jobs, improvements to infrastructure, and energy security. “There are multiple opportunities to create new jobs, all over the country, through enhancing the value of our built environment. We already spend £35bn a year on improving and maintaining our buildings. We need to refocus 40% of this into energy-efficiency and spend less on expensive kitchens and conservatories.”
Among the key recommendations and implications of Achieving zero are:
The need for the Coalition Government to introduce progressively more challenging, legally-binding standards of energy efficiency for properties, based on Energy Performance Certificates. This will require action by the owners, private and public, of 26 million homes and 2 million businesses;
The government must work strategically and quickly with local government to create Low Carbon Zones that target action on the worst homes, especially those occupied by the fuel poor. There is a legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty (where reasonably practicable) by 2016 under the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000, but meanwhile numbers are rising; The rate of activity required will mean that for every hour over the next 39 years 82 existing buildings should be retrofitted to the level of band A on the energy performance certificate;
Then, by 2050, all of the UK’s 28 million properties will be so well-insulated that they require no external energy for space heating;
This rate of improvement is 25% faster than has been achieved over the last 40 years;
By 2050, electricity use, per property, would be halved and supplied solely from renewable electricity on the grid as a result of policies on lights and appliances, written in Brussels, but enhanced by the UK Government.
Progress will be measured through annual energy bills, as portrayed on Display Energy Certificates in all businesses. For households, total energy consumption will be linked to a policy, such as personal carbon allowances, which can be tapered down over time.
The building improvements will be the responsibility of the property owner, with, Government providing zero-interest loans to low-income owner occupiers. Once minimum standards are introduced, more energy-efficient properties will become more valuable;
Achieving Zero concludes that the proposals are necessary, although maybe not sufficient, to ensure the government meets its own legal obligations to reduce damaging carbon emissions and eradicate fuel poverty.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The executive summary and full report are available here
The report will be launched by Dr Brenda Boardman at the Salford University Retrofit Conference on Wednesday 25/01/12
The report was financed by the Greenpeace Environmental Trust Contacts: Brenda Boardman 07813 190 340
ECI media contact: deborah.strickland@eci.ox.ac.uk (01865 275853)