A flagship Government strategy to address the impact of our homes on the climate looks to have failed to deliver the ambitious blueprint for action that is needed to deliver a greener Britain, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Responding to the publication of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The Heat and Buildings Strategy needs to set out a bold and long-term plan of action to tackle the impact of our homes on the climate. Unfortunately, it is not looking encouraging.
“Grants for heat pumps is a step in the right direction so we begin to reduce our reliance on polluting and volatile fossil fuels, but incentives are also needed to make our existing homes better insulated.
“The Government appears to be only listening to one half of the story. If there is no detail in the Strategy on how we can address the megatonnes of carbon lost through the leaky walls and roofs of our homes, it will have failed and the benefits of installing heat pumps risk being lost.
“Without a long-term national retrofit strategy, including a proper skills plan and communications campaign, regular consumers won’t know what action they need to take, nor feel it’s within their grasp; and industry won’t take the long-term investment decisions needed to be ready to deliver. I can only hope that the Chancellor will use next week’s Budget to address some of these gaps.”
Meanwhile, Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), acknowledged that heat pumps are a technology which can be delivered at scale.
“The Government is therefore correct to indicate a work pipeline for this cottage industry, otherwise there won’t be enough engineers getting trained and the cost of installations will not go down,” he continued.
“With the Government banning gas in new builds from 2025, we cannot be in a situation where homes cannot be built because the heating elements cannot be completed, or consumers who want heat pumps are competing with housebuilders for skilled installers.”
“As part of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government has put together a £450 million, three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme which from April 2022, will give homeowners new grants of £5,000 to install more efficient, low carbon heating systems.
“The Government has also indicated that by 2026, it will decide on the potential role for hydrogen in heating buildings by learning from their ‘Hydrogen Village pilot’ in Winlaton, near Newcastle.
“Heat networks are also part of the strategy, and the Heat Network Transformation Programme aims to continue to develop and grow the heat network market.
“The Government are correct to kickstart the heat pump industry, but it needs to consider how other solutions such as ground source, solar and wind need to be part of the mix. This will be key in generating the electricity needed for decarbonisation and means they must immediately reassess their onshore renewable approach.
“However, the most important challenge has was not cited and this the need to retrofit English and Welsh homes so that heat pumps use less energy and homes are healthier and warmer. The Government needs to engage with industries National Retrofitting Strategy and recognise, that at no cost to the taxpayer, the planning and policy elements of it will kickstart our essential retrofitting sector.”
