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Housing efficeincy needs government help

A National Home Improvement Council [NHIC] product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Sep 21, 2005

NHIC say UK private sector housing efficeincy needs a government shot in the arm.

UK households are responsible for almost a third of the nation's total energy consumption, yet the majority of them lack sufficient thermal insulation and many still have inefficient heating and hot systems, according to the National Home Improvement Council.

Whilst the Government's latest announcement on Parts F and L of the Building Regulations is a further spur to raising new build housing energy-saving measures a great deal has still to be done to bring the existing housing stock in line with CO2 reduction targets.

Graham Ponting, Director of the NHIC, points out: "It's a sad matter of fact, that the majority of UK homes remain well below satisfactory energy efficiency levels and need a shot in the arm.

The social housing sector has to be congratulated and encouraged as it's beginning to get on top of the problem and reduce fuel poverty.

"But the really big problem is in the private housing sector where millions of homes still have very sparse insulation or none at all! Many hundreds of thousands of domestic central heating and hot water systems have been around for more than 20 years and, consequently, are inefficient and costly to run.

More over "Therefore, it is imperative that any plan's the Government has to improve the performance and efficiency of the UK housing stock takes full account of the urgent requirements of the private housing sector.

"We urge the Government to look much more closely at greater householder incentives to encourage them to put their homes in order.

For instance, a reduction or elimination of VAT on energy efficiency projects around the home would be one positive step.

A return to some form of discretionary grant system or council tax break could provide householders with the determination necessary to move energy efficiency forward".

Ponting fears that unless such measures are introduced "no real improvements will be made" and energy efficiency in the private homes sector "will continue bobbing along the bottom!".