Government Must Set An Example When It Comes to Retrofitting

An expert has recently claimed that the government needs to provide a ‘hard commitment’ when it comes to retrofitting of existing homes in the UK.

Deputy directory of the Green Alliance, Thomas Lingard, says that a government example is the only way to achieve improvements across the country that can help the cause of reducing carbon emissions and making homes more energy efficient.

Lingard added that existing homes will make up around 75 per cent of property use in 2050, which is why retrofitting should be seen as such an important element of reducing carbon emissions.

He stated that it is ‘very encouraging’ to see a number of established builders coming into the retrofitting market, as he believes that this will help to reassure home owners about the importance of making these changes.

Measures that can help improve energy efficiency in existing properties include double glazing in windows and doors to help reduce heat lost and to make homes naturally warmer. Insulation is also another important factor at keeping heat inside the home. All of these measures will also help homeowners to save money.

However, only a ‘hard commitment’ from the government, by bringing in new policies and making retrofitting more desirable, will be the catalyst to widespread measures across the country.

The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan has stated that changes will need to be made to improve energy efficiency of our homes which will account to 15% worth of carbon emissions cuts by 2020.