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Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes

Status: Closed Opened: 18 May 2020 Closed: 30 Nov 2021 25 recommendations 14 conclusions 1 report

Homes account for just under 30% of energy use and around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. It is one of the few sectors where emissions reductions have stalled. This inquiry will look at the Government's manifesto commitments and proposed strategies on energy efficiency and ask whether they will be enough to meet … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes HC 346 22 Mar 2021 39 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
6 Recommendation Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Ex… Accepted in Part

We support the extension of ECO to 2026 and the extra funding announced in the...

We support the extension of ECO to 2026 and the extra funding announced in the Fuel Poverty Strategy. The Government must review whether ECO is still delivering Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes 57 value for money and whether the energy bill is the most appropriate, fair and effective means of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it will publish an evaluation report for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) later this year, addressing the recommendation to review its value for money. However, it implicitly defends the current funding mechanism via energy bills, rather than committing to a review of …
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9 Recommendation Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Ex… Accepted in Part

We recommend that Home Upgrade Grants are launched in full before the end of 2021,...

We recommend that Home Upgrade Grants are launched in full before the end of 2021, backed by the entirety of the funding pledged for the scheme, to mobilise supply chains for low carbon heating. The Government should also set out how it intends to administer the scheme and what role … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government committed £150m to launch Phase 1 of the Home Upgrade Grant after December 2021, addressing the timing and setting out a central role for local authorities in delivery via a competitive bidding process, but notes further multi-year funding is subject to future fiscal …
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13 Recommendation Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Ex… Accepted in Part

Sustained delivery of measures to support the transition to a 68 per cent reduction in...

Sustained delivery of measures to support the transition to a 68 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, and net zero by 2050, will require strategic planning and thorough engagement with all stakeholders. The Government’s strategic ambitions here require multi-annual spending commitments which may need to supersede Spending Review perspectives. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is undertaking a Net Zero Review and plans to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy shortly to outline its long-term strategic approach. It has also made specific multi-annual spending commitments, including increasing the Energy Company Obligation to £1 billion per year from 2022, …
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18 Recommendation Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Ex… Accepted in Part

The Government should bring forward the allocation of the £3.8bn of funding pledged before the...

The Government should bring forward the allocation of the £3.8bn of funding pledged before the 2019 general election. This would deliver cost savings at scale. This funding should be frontloaded to reap the benefits of cumulative emissions savings towards net zero. The Government should also allow housing associations to lead … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government has allocated £60m and an additional £300m for energy efficiency schemes in 2021/22, with the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) intended to be open to all social housing landlords, but will continue to seek further funding.
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25 Recommendation Fourth Report - Energy Efficiency of Ex… Accepted in Part

In its forthcoming Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Government, acting on the advice of the...

In its forthcoming Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Government, acting on the advice of the Climate Change Committee, should set an ambitious and realistic trajectory for owner occupiers to achieve minimum EPC C standards. The CCC recommends that by 2028 all properties achieve EPC level C at the point of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is committed to the aspiration of upgrading as many homes as possible to EPC Band C by 2035 and will consult on regulatory measures this year, recognizing the need for exemptions and for addressing risks of a two-tier mortgage market.
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Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Dec 2020 Ben Golding · Clean Power 2030, Emma Fraser · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Jon Fuller · HM Treasury, Kemi Badenoch · HM Treasury, Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy View ↗
18 Nov 2020 Brian Berry · Federation of Master Builders, George Munson · Leeds City Council and the Core Cities Energy Efficiency Group, Karen Brown · Northern Housing Consortium, Laura McGadie · Energy Saving Trust, Mark Lynn · Eden Renewable Innovations Ltd (Thermafleece), Russell Smith · Retrofitworks, Simon Ayers · TrustMark View ↗
4 Nov 2020 Claire Tracey · Nationwide Building Society, Dr Joanne Wade OBE · The Association for Decentralised Energy, Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE · Green Finance Institute, Gavin Dick · National Residential Landlords Association, Jonathan Ducker · Kingspan, Mr Peter Smith · National Energy Action (NEA), Robert Tiffin · Ecotiffin View ↗
15 Oct 2020 Jan Rosenow · The Regulatory Assistance Project, Jenny Hill · Committee on Climate Change, Jenny Holland · UK Green Building Council, Katie Black · National Infrastructure Commission, Michael Lewis · E.ON UK, Pedro Guertler · E3G, Sarah Kostense-Winterton · Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group, Simon Bittlestone · National Audit Office View ↗

Who gave evidence

28 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Ben Golding · Director Clean Power 2030 1
Brian Berry · Chief Executive Federation of Master Builders 1
Claire Tracey · Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer Nationwide Building Society 1
Dr Joanne Wade OBE · Chief Strategic Advisor The Association for Decentralised Energy 1
Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE · Chief Executive Green Finance Institute 1
Emma Fraser · Housing Markets and Strategy Director Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Gavin Dick · Local Authority Policy Officer National Residential Landlords Association 1
George Munson · Senior Project Manager Leeds City Council and the Core Cities Energy Efficiency Group 1
Jan Rosenow · Director of European Programmes The Regulatory Assistance Project 1
Jenny Hill · Head of Buildings and International Action Committee on Climate Change 1
Jenny Holland · Public Affairs and Policy Specialist UK Green Building Council 1
Jon Fuller · Deputy Director: Energy, Environment and Agricult… HM Treasury 1
Jonathan Ducker · Head of Regulatory Affairs Kingspan 1
Karen Brown · Senior Policy Advisor Northern Housing Consortium 1
Katie Black · Director of Policy National Infrastructure Commission 1
Kemi Badenoch · Exchequer Secretary HM Treasury 1
Laura McGadie · Group Head of Energy Energy Saving Trust 1
Mark Lynn · Managing Director Eden Renewable Innovations Ltd (Thermafleece) 1
Michael Lewis · Chief Executive Officer E.ON UK 1
Mr Peter Smith · Director of Policy and Advocacy National Energy Action (NEA) 1
Pedro Guertler · Programme Leader E3G 1
Robert Tiffin · Director Ecotiffin 1
Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Minister for Housing Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Secretary of State Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Russell Smith · Managing Director Retrofitworks 1
Sarah Kostense-Winterton · Chair Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group 1
Simon Ayers · Chief Executive TrustMark 1
Simon Bittlestone · Director, Value for Money National Audit Office 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 Apr 2021 — Chair to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the…
22 Mar 2021 — Memorandum to the EAC from the Exchequer Secretary regarding the Green Homes Gr…
8 Feb 2021 — BEIS to Chair regarding Green Homes Grant Scheme, 22 January 2021
14 Dec 2020 — Chair to BEIS, GHG survey, 11 Dec 2020