Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Paragraph: 148
Building renovation passports have the potential to provide much more accurate data on energy usage...
Conclusion
Building renovation passports have the potential to provide much more accurate data on energy usage and could be used to unlock green finance. They provide homeowners with long-term renovation strategies which can minimise disruption to their properties and thereby encourage more extensive retrofitting of energy efficiency measures.
Paragraph Reference:
148
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are critical to our policy proposals and we are committed to improving them as set out in our EPC action plan. However, we are open to considering how data from EPCs could input into Building Renovation Passports as well as whether further intervention from government is required to support their development. As part of this we are currently engaging with industry stakeholders to explore the potential mechanisms to deliver a Building Renovation Passport, and we are aware of a number of projects developing in the sector to deliver either a passport or logbook package. This includes work being conducted by the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA), supported by Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, to deliver a logbook to facilitate the conveyance process and a report recently published by the Green Finance Institute which outline recommendations for an initial framework for building passports. Furthermore, we are engaging with TrustMark, as part of the EPC Action Plan, on their development of a new consumer-facing Property Hub for the Data Warehouse, to allow property owners to access a ‘logbook’ for their property showing works which have been carried out through the government- endorsed TrustMark scheme. Government regards EPCs as a useful source of information for prospective buyers or renters of properties. There are no plans to replace EPCs but the 35-point EPC Action Plan, published in 2020, is designed to increase the trust in, accuracy and reliability of EPCs. Implementation of the Action Plan is progressing jointly by MHCLG and BEIS. Lastly, government schemes that incorporate the PAS 2035:2019 standard, will also utilise Medium Term Improvement Plans (MTIPs) for certain levels of retrofit, such as those receiving three or more energy efficiency measures. For example, most retrofits for the next phase of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme will require MTIPs.