In response to the assessment, UKGBC’s Chief Executive Officer Julie Hirigoyen said:

“We strongly welcome today’s Committee on Climate Change Assessment, which highlights major policy gaps in the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy which must now be filled urgently, given the soaring costs of gas and electricity and energy security concerns. 

It is clear from today’s Assessment that we need to move quickly. The Government must now take bold steps to fill the key gaps identified, including moving us away from fossil fuel heating in homes, reforming planning to support net zero, and dramatically accelerating the pace of energy efficiency upgrades. These crucial steps clearly echo the findings of UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, which sets out the key milestones and policies needed to decarbonize the built environment.

The Prime Minister should start by making energy efficiency central to his new Energy Independence Strategy – reducing overall energy demand eases to the path to independence. The Chancellor should also take the opportunity of the forthcoming Spring Statement to announce additional funding for energy efficiency schemes, cut VAT from home retrofit and expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

As we face pressures on multiple fronts, the importance and value of sustainability in the built environment has never been clearer.”

Read our initial response to the Heat and Buildings Strategy here.

Learn more about our Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap here.

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