Camco

The Existing Homes Alliance has developed a Declaration on the Future of Existing Housing which sets out the action required from businesses, housing and environmental organisations and government to put the UK housing stock on the road to deep cuts in carbon emissions and energy bills. The Declaration has already received backing from key companies and organisations across the range of sectors that it addresses.

Within its Declaration, the Alliance has detailed a number of bold measures which it supports as part of a UK wide programme of action, including:

• A clear regulation timetable that takes account of measures such as enhanced building regulations, and minimum standards for household energy performance (based on the new Energy Performance Certificates)
• A greater range of financial incentives to encourage investment by homeowners, landlords and housing managers, including VAT reform on refurbishment, stamp duty and council tax rebates, low interest rate loans, feed in tariffs, grants and energy service packages
• A major programme of exemplar low energy refurbishments to help kick start the supply chain and drive innovation, investment and skills development. At least 500,000 homes should be targeted within five years and should include individual ‘exemplar’ houses within each local authority area as well as ‘whole street’ projects in areas of high fuel poverty concentration
• Trusted installer registers, mandatory training and up-skilling for building professionals to cover the full range of energy and resource efficient techniques, and badging to make the public aware of these skills, such as for CORGI and registered electrical installers
• A public information campaign to counter misconceptions among homeowners showing how to raise the environmental performance of their homes

If we act now, and act decisively as a unified industry we can significantly reduce the impact that existing housing has on national CO2 emissions once and for all. This approach will ensure the UK can meet its international responsibilities while securing energy efficient and low carbon homes for future generations [Dr Paul Ruyssevelt] [Strategic Projects Director at Camco]

WWF-UK is now the Alliance’s Chair and Secretariat, Camco remains a principal coalition member.

Further information about the Existing Homes Alliance can be found at:[www.existinghomesalliance.org]