EEIG Affordable Warmth, Clean Growth Action Plan

[ALEO Admin]

The Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group (EEIG) has published a new action plan for a comprehensive Buildings Energy Infrastructure Programme, titled Affordable Warmth, Clean Growth.

The Action Plan report concludes that "Cost-effective investments in domestic energy efficiency and low carbon heating to 2035 could save around one quarter of the energy currently used in UK homes, and deliver net benefits of £7.5bn to the UK. Fuel bills could be on average £270 lower per household per year at today’s prices."

The report recommends the development of a Buildings Energy Infrastructure Programme aimed at driving energy performance improvements in the building stock, and outlines an Infrastructure Action Plan to deliver it in the domestic sector. The Programme would include the following key elements:

- Public investment for low income households and households in the socially rented sector constituting:

• fully subsidised retrofits for bringing the homes of low income owner occupiers up to an energy performance rating of C;
• 50% capital subsidy for council housing and housing association homes to upgrade properties to a C rating; and
• 33% capital subsidy for achieving a C rating for private landlords’ properties that are let to low income tenants.

- Measures aimed at driving investment and providing support for ‘able to pay’
households to 2035, including:

• a revenue neutral adjustment to the Stamp Duty regime, which rewards a higher energy performance through a lower charge compared with a home with lower energy performance;
• a demonstration of subsidised loan interest rates, partial upfront grants and income tax relief for home owners seeking to retrofit to a C rating; and
• a reintroduction of the Landlords Energy Saving Allowance for energy upgrades of properties.

- A stable regulatory environment for encouraging investment in all homes to 2035:

• a tightening of the minimum energy performance standard in the private rented sector from EPC E to EPC D from 2025; and
• the introduction of a minimum energy performance standard of E from 2025 applying to owner occupied homes, at point of sale or major renovation.

- An institutional framework to ensure delivery, including a dedicated and independent Buildings Energy Infrastructure Agency or Unit to be established within a suitable existing body.

In order to achieve the programme's aims the report outlines nine actions that will be required before 2020.

To read more, download the Action Plan report from:
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/211ae0_9 ... 11f50e.pdf