Improving the insulation of buildings makes sense both now and in a low carbon future
The National Infrastructure Commission has published its first National Infrastructure Assessment today, declaring that "Improving the insulation of buildings makes sense both now and in a low carbon future.” The report sets out its recommendations for the UK’s infrastructure needs for the next 10-30 years with NIC Chair, Sir John Armitt stressing the importance that their recommendations are ones which Ministers can realistically adopt.
The NIC calls for energy efficiency to be made a core part of the government’s energy infrastructure plan and for £3.8 billion of public capital funds to be prioritised for making social housing energy efficient to 2030. This builds on from its 2017 interim assessment that energy efficiency should be made a national infrastructure priority. It also advises Government to continue to support innovation in energy efficiency policy, particularly solid walls.
The NIC calls for energy efficiency to be made a core part of the government’s energy infrastructure plan and for £3.8 billion of public capital funds to be prioritised for making social housing energy efficient to 2030. This builds on from its 2017 interim assessment that energy efficiency should be made a national infrastructure priority. It also advises Government to continue to support innovation in energy efficiency policy, particularly solid walls.
Sarah Kostense-Winterton, Executive Director at MIMA comments, “This report has been long in the making and we greatly support its ambition. The NIC is being responsible in asking government to target 21,000 energy efficiency installation measures a week by 2020 - with its own figures quoting 9,000 current measures per week - a 2.5 fold increase. However this could be even a greater mountain to climb as measures installed have reached a new low in recent months - some say down to 3,000 per week. In reality the NIC could be asking for Government to increase energy efficiency measures by 6-fold."
"Whilst the NIC has been unable to to report on the “how” to do it - a step out of its remit - we warmly welcome the Institute of Government’s Bronwyn Maddox’s summary in response to the NIC report at the launch saying that it is now down to the Government and to HM Treasury to make a comprehensive infrastructure plan. With the Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group (EEIG), we will be seeking to deliver this with Government. We look forward to Treasury’s response within the next 6 months.”