The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today, Wednesday 09 December, responded to the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget Report.
RIBA President Alan Jones said:
“I welcome today’s report – which demonstrates clear ambition to help the UK reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. With the built environment accounting for a significant proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) rightly identify major changes that must be made in the sector.
Progress to date has been far too slow, so I welcome the CCC’s call for Government to set a clear direction and practical steps to reach net-zero.
The proposed route map closely aligns with the National Retrofit Strategy that the RIBA has long been calling for – setting clear targets and specifying a need for adequate funding and resource. The CCC have crucially recognised the knowledge gap that currently exists for those in the able to pay market. We need to invest in fresh thinking such as a new stamp duty policy to encourage homeowners to invest in sustainability.
We welcome the reiteration from the CCC that the Government must urgently bring forward a clear and robust definition of the Future Homes Standard. To ensure our new homes do not negatively impact the environment this must include operational energy and embodied caron targets.
We will continue to urge Government to ensure that they undertake Post Occupancy Evaluation on all projects that receive public funding. Only through detailed understanding of how a building performs in use, will we be able to ensure that these projects are meeting energy efficient requirements and providing value for money to the taxpayer.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Press contact: Isabel Campbell Isabel.Campbell@riba.org or +44 (0) 20 7496 8349
- The RIBA published a report last month entitled ‘Greener Homes’ calling for:
- the introduction of stamp duty incentive for homes based on energy performance, with the most inefficient homes paying up to £25,000 more. Homeowners would be able to get a rebate for a period after the tax is paid, encouraging energy efficiency improvements when they may be making other changes to their home.
- the Government to bring forward 10 years of planned spending on energy efficiency like home insulation to assist with the recovery over the next few years.
- better targeting of existing income support payments including the Warm Homes Discount and the Winter Fuel Payment, which are presently poorly targeted towards the most fuel poor.
- a clear long-term timeline for increasing the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for both the private and social rented sectors;
- stronger standards for new homes;
- more information and regulation of the quality of building work carried out by tradespeople making energy efficiency improvements.
- In 2019 the RIBA launched the 2030 Climate Challenge - guidance to help architects meet net zero (or better) whole life carbon for new and retrofitted buildings by 2030. It sets a series of targets for practices to adopt to reduce operational energy, embodied carbon and potable water.
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow @RIBA on Twitter for regular updates.
