Communicating our thought leadership
27 November 2024
Heat pumps alone will not make homes warmer or bills lower
The government has just revealed new updates to its Warm Homes Plan to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the UK. At the heart of these plans is support for people switching to heat pumps. But with rising energy prices and fuel poverty increasing across Britain, will electrification be the most affordable and scalable solution to Britain’s cold homes crisis? Click here to read in full.
17 September 2024
Reducing VAT for all retrofit improvements would boost green growth
The next Budget on 30 October marks a real opportunity to give a boost to green growth that could help address the heat-leaking homes blighting the lives of millions of low-income households and families across Britain. But how can the Chancellor use the forthcoming budget to support homeowners to lower their emissions and bills while creating more jobs and bolstering the UK economy? Click here to read in full.
12 August 2024
The government's Warm Homes Plan must be a political priority
The Labour government has pledged to upgrade five million homes in the next parliament to cut bills for families as part of its Warm Homes Plan. But how does the government go about delivering it? Click here to read in full.
18 June 2024
Political leaders must seize the moment for change to overhaul Britain’s energy-inefficient homes
The three main political parties published their general election manifestos last week. But how far do these plans go to address the urgent need to overhaul our energy-inefficient housing stock and support homeowners to future-proof their homes and drive down bills? Click here to read in full.
10 May 2024
Adopting energy-saving technology could help deliver warmer homes and lower bills
Progress in taking meaningful action to tackle Britain’s cold homes, improve home energy efficiency and address heat-leaking housing stock has over the last decade been slow. High energy bills and poorly insulated properties adversely affect the most vulnerable in society. But how can we deliver warmer homes and support low-income households with lowering bills and emissions? Click here to read in full.
8 April 2024
Building regulations must mandate insulation protection to ensure homes are fit for the future
The government’s consultation on the Future Homes and Buildings Standard is a significant opportunity to ensure all new homes built from 2025 produce up to 80% less carbon emissions than currently, and for the UK to reach net zero by 2050. Click here to read in full.
27 March 2024
Failure to account for unprotected insulation degradation could undermine new Home Energy Model
The government’s consultation on its new online calculation method to accurately assess the energy use and energy efficiency of homes in the UK, replacing the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), closed on 27 March and will input into changes in Buildings Regulations planned for 2025. The draft consultation plans are a positive step in the right direction. But does the new Home Energy Model (HEM), which will replace SAP, go far enough in ensuring assessments are robust and fit for the future? Click here to read in full.
11 December 2023
It is time to bring VAT relief for energy-saving materials up to date with technology
The government recently announced in the Autumn Statement that the list of energy-saving materials (ESMs) that benefit from VAT relief is to be reviewed and expanded following a call for input in March 2023. The government has indicated it will soon set out the full details before a UK-wide implementation from February 2024. But how can an outdated policy framework be reshaped to help deliver net zero, warmer homes and cheaper energy bills? Click here to read in full.