Select committee: Environmental Audit Committee
Conclusion 46
First report - Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction
Published 26 May 2022
Paragraph 233
Environmental Audit Committee Sustainability of the built environment All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The present shortage of workers in the energy efficiency and retrofit sector is chronic, given the overall timetable for decarbonisation of properties. This is a point we have repeatedly emphasised in our recent reports. Significant skills gaps also exist in the measurement of embodied and whole-life carbon and the use of low- carbon materials. On the evidence before us, the Government has not yet responded adequately to our recommendations to develop a retrofit strategy and programme to encourage the development of relevant green skills across the construction trade.
From: Environmental Audit Committee, First report - Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction (HC 103), paragraph 233, 26 May 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 September 2022 (deadline 26 July 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees that whole-life carbon assessments are "likely to have a significant role" in decarbonising construction, but it does not commit to mandating them and says it will consult on its approach to embodied carbon in 2023.
- On a mandatory requirement, it "intends to consult in 2023" and will "consider" what levers, including building regulations, will be needed. It says it is "too soon to commit" to ratcheted carbon targets.
- It agrees a standardised calculation method is required and "will look at whether" endorsing specific standards, methodologies or tools "is appropriate".
- It declines to bring forward the Future Homes Standard to 2023, stating it "will not look to alter the timeframe" and that the 2025 timeline delivers on net zero commitments while ensuring homes are delivered in sufficient numbers.
- On public procurement, it says the Procurement Bill would not be an appropriate place for net zero policy priorities, and that there are "no plans to collect and publish" data on whole-life carbon assessments under the Construction Playbook.