Heat resilience and sustainable cooling

Establish a comprehensive national retrofit programme to adapt UK housing stock for net zero and comfort.

We therefore recommend that the Government establish a comprehensive national retrofit programme to adapt the UK’s housing stock for both net zero and thermal comfort. The programme should include the following elements to maximise its impact and minimise costs: • Local delivery via local authorities, underpinned by adequate long-term funding; … Read more We therefore recommend that the Government establish a comprehensive national retrofit programme to adapt the UK’s housing stock for both net zero and thermal comfort. The programme should include the following elements to maximise its impact and minimise costs: • Local delivery via local authorities, underpinned by adequate long-term funding; • Prioritisation of vulnerable households; • A fabric-first approach focusing on insulation and ventilation; • Adoption of a cooling hierarchy prioritising passive measures, and then fans, above active cooling mechanisms; • Consideration of the benefits and drawbacks of installing reversible heat pumps, bearing in mind such factors as: (i) whether or not active cooling is likely to be required following installation of passive measures and (if appropriate) fans; (ii) the vulnerability of the building occupant(s); and (iii) progress on decarbonising the national grid at the time of installation Show less