‘Clean Growth Plan’

‘Clean Growth Plan’

UK’s buildings sector calls on government to publish climate action plan

30 organisations within the construction, heating and energy efficiency sectors are calling on the government to publish a stong ‘Clean Growth Plan’.

Firms such as Arup, Knauf Insulation, SIG and ROCKWOOL have signed a letter co-ordinated by WWF calling on the government to use its forthcoming plan to reduce carbon emissions, now confirmed to be called the ‘Clean Growth Plan’.
In the letter, which can be viewed here, the organisations have specifically called for:

• A long-term target for all homes to have an energy performance rating of C or above by 2035
• The introduction of minimum standards on efficiency for existing homes, enforced at the point of sale, and backed up by grants and zero interest loans.
• All new buildings to be ‘nearly zero energy’ by 2020, as specified under the EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive.
• A clear strategy and policy to accelerate the roll out of low carbon heat, particularly electric heat pumps, in buildings off the gas grid to 2020 and beyond.
• Support the growth of district heat networks by building on the Heat Network Investment Project through the 2020s and providing a long-term investment framework to facilitate lower cost capital.
• A local authority-led approach to heat decarbonisation, to ensure a long-term plan for all buildings that coordinates action on energy efficiency and low carbon heat.

Gareth Redmond-King, head of Energy and Climate Change at WWF said: “The UK has a world-leading Climate Change Act, but the UK Government isn’t delivering the robust and ambitious plan for reducing emissions that we need. Climate change is not waiting; it is already having an impact today – from extreme weather events, to loss of wildlife and an increasingly unstable world. The low carbon economy represents a huge opportunity for UK businesses, so it’s no wonder that they’re desperately looking for longer term clarity that will enable them to invest in the technologies that we know can help to tackle climate change. The UK government must heed their call and build these measures into their Clean Growth Plan; doing so will be good for the environment and good for the British economy.”