EPC reform needed to help UK's retrofit market

“EPCs provide some consumers with poorly conceived advice and have a strong bias against low carbon heating systems.”

The Retrofitting Homes For Net Zero report makes 31 recommendations to Parliament, including EPC Reform to make the certificate fit for purpose.

That’s a quote from this rather blunt (but honest) report from a House of Commons committee that was published last week, pointing out failures in the way we retrofit our homes and what needs to happen to fix it.

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/664/energy-security-and-net-zero-committee/news/206940/warm-homes-retrofit-failures-pushing-uk-clean-secure-energy-targets-further-off-track-say-mps/

31 recommendations have been presented to Government. Common themes include committing to long-term policies, simplifying the retrofit programme to encourage more interest, provide trusted information to the public in more accessible ways, and offer more incentives for new heat pump trainees.

It’s well documented that the UK’s existing housing stock needs a lot of TLC, and this isn’t something we can brush under the carpet if we’re serious about meeting our 2050 net zero goal.

The latest stats show our buildings are responsible for 21% of all the UK’s carbon emissions. Our homes alone created close to 50 million tonnes of CO2 last year. 

Only a small fraction of this comes from new construction. This report considers the 29 million existing homes that will need to be upgraded in the next 25 years, and explores why people aren’t jumping at the chance to live in warmer, cheaper houses.

As you may expect, the section that caught my eye was on Energy Performance Certificates. In theory, these should be the go-to document for pinpointing which homes will benefit the most from retrofit work. But, instead, “They are deterring consumers from making the switch to low carbon heating.”

There are a few reasons noted: The EPC recommends ways of reducing fuel bills, which isn’t the same as reducing CO2.

Also, assessments ‘vary greatly in quality and consistency’, especially on historic buildings where more assumptions are made by the assessor.

The inquiry does rightly acknowledge that EPC Reform is on the way. The new metrics are yet to be confirmed, but are expected to place more focus on fabric performance, and the carbon impact of heating systems.

Choices of future heating systems is also discussed. Homeowners are not currently encouraged to switch to heat pumps because the cost of electricity is so high, and because there's still under uncertainty if green hydrogen can eventually replace our existing gas supply.

The inquiry is calling on the UK Government to make a firm decision on hydrogen, to adjust the pricing structure of electricity to make prices more comparable with gas (which is welcome news to many in the industry), and to set a date in stone for banning the sale of fossil-fuel led heating systems.

It's an honest report on a topic that the UK needs to take more seriously. I'm looking forward to seeing how Government responds.