Housing Retrofit Just isn’t Happening Fast Enough!

Osborne Property Services Managing Director Vicky Fordham-Lewis outlines some of the remarkable fact and figures that start to spell out the enormity of the journey to EPC Level C by 2030 and Net Zero Carbon by 2050 facing housing providers.

Vicky’s concern is in the face of such overwhelming facts and figures is that physical implementation retrofit on site is simply not happening fast enough or anything on the scale necessary.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (BEIS) and Central Government must substantially raise the bar to support Local Authorities and Housing Providers to achieve these targets. Most importantly we must progress programmes past the intent, discussion and rhetoric and get works physically happening on sites with a much higher degree of urgency and certainty. We must recognise that retrofit on this scale presents new technological, logistical, and legislative challenges. Vicky stresses it is important as early adopters we do not let hinderances in one specific element compromise and delay progressing entire programmes of work. There will be an element of learning as we go and a need to collaborate and continuously improve and develop our approaches in all aspects.

Vicky adds, I do not think people in positions of Governmental influence realise this climate emergency needs immediate action on such an unprecedented scale if we have any chance of meeting net zero carbon by 2050 or even EPC Level C By 2030. Businesses are investing in the resources and technologies but the slow pace of implementation on site is putting these investments and the potential of further investment in technologies, skills, and training at risk.

The British Energy Security Strategy published in April was heavily focussed on the supply side of energy generation. However, as many commentators have noted, the strategy disappointingly covered very little on measures needed to substantially reduce energy use. Without these retrofit works being put in place in substantial volumes and urgency we will continue to generate very expensive energy only to allow that energy to haemorrhage out of substandard homes, leaving some of the most vulnerable people in our society facing huge fuel bills they simply cannot afford.

35% of the UK energy production is generated for the housing sector alone, so decarbonising housing has a massive role to play with 20% of UK emissions produced by the housing sector. Mix into this that 71% of UK housing does not currently meet EPC Band C and a target is in place to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, this means an approach and strategy on an industrialised scale will be required.

In simple terms these headline objectives then translate into practical measures, 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028, 18 million homes will need hot water cylinders installed to meet Net Zero Carbon. Every home will need insulation with balanced ventilation, all undertaken in close collaboration, buy in and cooperation with residents.

It is also vitally important to recognise the competing pressures on housing providers, including fire safety works and the extraordinary burden on residents caused by the unprecedented increases in the cost of living. Vicky adds there is a real opportunity to grasp here and address all these issues in one go with some careful strategic planning and access to different funding opportunities.

Ultimately, we want to help to create safe, healthy, affordable, and environmentally friendly housing that residents can enjoy. To do this most effectively and efficiently means BEIS and Central Government helping, housing providers and their supply partners in gearing up with resources, manufacturing capacity and materials to complete one home every eight minutes!

For more information visit Osborne Retrofit Resource Centre or contact [email protected]