Policy Document Archives | UKGBC https://ukgbc.org/our-work-types/policy-document/ The voice of our sustainable built environment Tue, 29 Aug 2023 10:30:49 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://ukgbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-UKGBC-favicon-1.png Policy Document Archives | UKGBC https://ukgbc.org/our-work-types/policy-document/ 32 32 Response to EAC consultation on sustainable electrification of the UK economy https://ukgbc.org/resources/ukgbc-response-to-eac-consultation-on-sustainable-electrification-of-the-uk-economy/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 20:45:01 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=48321 The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry examining the challenges and opportunities arising from the increasing use of electricity to power the economy of Net Zero Britain

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]]> The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry examining the challenges and opportunities arising from the increasing use of electricity to power the economy of Net Zero Britain. As part of this it has issued a call for evidence.

We very much welcome this inquiry by the Environmental Audit Committee, again showing leadership in an important aspect of the transformation the UK needs to make in the face of the climate and nature emergency.

This inquiry highlights the opportunities of, and barriers to the UK’s solar power ambitions. UKGBC agrees that urgent action is required to ensure the UK can gain the optimal benefit of solar.

To make the most of these opportunities we highlight the importance of homes and buildings as a platform for solar – especially for new build where appropriate design can integrate solar as part of a clean whole house/building energy system. Such energy systems can provide the home owner with wholly renewable energy with which to run their home (for heating and power), and while the degree of energy supplied will vary by location, orientation and building type, the integration of storage technologies will allow the building to maximise the benefits of ‘its’ energy day to day and week to week.

While most buildings can deploy solar, the regulatory regime – neither the planning nor energy regulatory regimes, are aligned to smart energy capable homes and buildings as the norm. Yet the BEIS/Ofgem Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan (2021) highlights the fundamental importance of ensuring energy demand, and the infrastructures of demand, are as flexible as the variability of renewable supply. Without out the match of demand flexibility with supply variability there are significant additional costs of extra generation and network costs for the now higher peaks of demand.

Homes and buildings are the most important energy demand infrastructure, an importance that will only grow as EV numbers increase and more and more EV charging happens at home, the work place or other built environment settings. The right approach to new build and retrofit (upgrade) standards AND energy system regulation will enable home and building owners to play their part in providing a lower cost, more consumer-friendly net zero energy system.

In UKGBC’s recent Heat and Building scorecard we highlight progress against the Heat and Building Strategy and identify key measures that could speed the arrival of a net zero built environment. A major opportunity this year is to set a Standard for new build that prompts design and build of smart energy capable homes
and buildings AND facilitate greater renewable solar deployment.

You can download the full consultation response below.

Full consultation response

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]]> Response to Government Consultation on National Planning Policy Framework https://ukgbc.org/resources/ukgbc-responds-to-government-consultation-on-national-planning-policy-framework/ Wed, 08 Mar 2023 10:24:18 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=41012 As the collective voice of the UK’s built environment sector, UKGBC urges the Government to…

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]]> As the collective voice of the UK’s built environment sector, UKGBC urges the Government to strengthen and deepen its reforms of the planning system.


Together with our more than 700 members from across the sector, UKGBC has now responded to the consultation with recommendations for the Government to reform the planning system to more effectively tackle the climate crisis, halt nature’s decline, and develop greater climate resilience.  

Philip Box, Policy Adviser at UKGBC said: 

Many of the Government’s proposals set a welcome direction for planning reform, particularly the consideration of carbon accounting and measurement for planning purposes and attention given to small-scale nature enhancement and climate adaptation. 

However, a great deal of specific detail appears pushed back to future consultations, at a time when our path to net zero and nature recovery simply cannot afford further delay. 

 The Government should urgently take forward the key policies we recommend, backed by amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and aligned to the environmental targets set out in UK law, to ensure the planning system is fit for purpose. 

Our response draws on our members’ collective experience and expertise at the forefront of the built environment and sets out key recommendations for a more strategic and comprehensive approach.

We look forward to further consultation with the Government on how the planning system can play its part in delivering a net zero, climate resilience, regenerative UK.” 

We urge the Government to

1
  • Provide Local Planning Authorities with more guidance and support to aid with the effective consideration of local sustainability, environmental and social value implications when planning for more homes.
2
  • Go ahead with proposed changes to emphasise the role of beauty as an objective of the
    planning, placemaking, strategic policies and the development process.
3
  • Include a consistent carbon impact assessment and carbon accounting requirements in planning, in relation to plan making, development management and decision making.
4
  • Introduce an NDMP that could embed compliance and alignment with the cooling hierarchy through national policy, to ensure planning supports interventions to tackle localized overheating.

Download UKGBC’s full response here

UKGBC response to Levelling up and Regeneration Bill

Reforms to national planning policy
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]]> Powering Up Britain – Policy Analysis https://ukgbc.org/resources/powering-up-britain-policy-analysis/ Wed, 01 Mar 2023 13:31:00 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=46195 On 30th March, 2023, the UK Government announced a wide range of policies and strategies…

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]]> On 30th March, 2023, the UK Government announced a wide range of policies and strategies relating to the UK’s path to net zero on what it called ‘Energy Security Day.’

The unprecedented volume of policies – many of which will have significant impacts on the built environment – has led UKGBC’s Policy team to develop this briefing of the key developments, organised by sector and by theme.

Subsectors covered by analysis

1

Great British Insulation Scheme

2

Government investment

3

Private rented homes

4

Occupier-owned homes

5

Future Homes and buildings

6

Commercial builidngs

7

Electricification of Heat

8

Planning

9

Nature

10

Green Finance Strategy

11

Skills

Download the Analysis here

Powering Up Britain Analysis

UKGBC policy announcement of the announcements made on ‘Energy Security Day’ 2023
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Policy & Advocacy

UKGBC works with our members and with policymakers at all levels across the UK to advocate for a built environment that meets the challenges of the climate and ecological crises
View more

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]]> Response to BEIS Consultation on ECO+ https://ukgbc.org/resources/response-to-beis-consultation-on-eco/ Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:34:08 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=36855 We welcome the new ECO+ scheme as an addition to the urgently needed support for…

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]]> We welcome the new ECO+ scheme as an addition to the urgently needed support for households struggling with high energy bills, but we are concerned that, as currently planned, the scheme risks some of the significant pitfalls of previous government schemes. They failed to attract sufficient households and installers and not only failed to drive a sustained upscaling and upskilling of the supply chain but contributed to a cycle of boom and bust that makes it harder each time for industry to respond.

We urge the government to

1

extend the scheme beyond 3 years to 10 years to give installation and manufacturing companies the longer-term confidence they need to invest at scale in training, competence building and capacity building,

2

increase the low-income households target to 50%,

3

to provide specific funding to local authorities to establish or increase their capacity to facilitate home retrofit within their local areas,

4

widen the scheme beyond energy utilities to more delivery partners, local authorities and other bodies.

Download our consultation response

Read UKGBC’s full response that was submitted to BEIS on behalf of our membership.

ECO plus consultation response

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]]> Decarbonising the built environment Government policy scorecard https://ukgbc.org/resources/decarbonising-the-built-environment-government-policy-scorecard/ Tue, 13 Dec 2022 10:21:48 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=34784 A scorecard analysis of Government action against the policy recommendations in UKGBC's Whole Life Carbon Roadmap and the big challenges and opportunities ahead.

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The message from COP27 is that we are fast running out of time… But [OUR MEMBERS] are calling for national government leadership to make the exceptional normal.”

Julie Hirigoyen, UKGBC

Buildings are the UK’s second largest source of climate emissions after surface transport. With time running out to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees, a laser-like focus on the policies needed to decarbonise this sector is essential.

This scorecard on the Government’s policies assesses progress over the past year since the Heat and Buildings Strategy was launched in October 2021 and shines a light on the big opportunities the Government must grasp in order to cut emissions and boost the green economy in the year ahead.

It compares the policies that have been announced or are in delivery against the comprehensive set of policy recommendations made in the UKGBC’s Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap for the Built environment, which enjoys broad industry support. In each of the key areas – operational carbon, embodied carbon and infrastructure, we have assessed the significance of the policy area, the policy gaps and the size of the economic prize if Government takes action this year. We have colour coded progress in each area using a red-amber-green criteria.

Key Takeaways

1

Most of the Government’s proposals or plans for an area are not in line with our recommendations or the needs of a net zero carbon built environment for the UK

2

Cutting energy waste from homes is one of the biggest opportunities the Government has this year to simultaneously tackle the cost-of-living crisis, energy security, inflation and levelling up.

3

Policy on decarbonising non-domestic buildings appears to be frozen, with little to no progress.

4

Few homes and buildings built today are net-zero and adapted to our changing climate – this must change.

5

Embodied Carbon is a huge gap in government policy and continued delay increases the costs of net zero.

Download the Scorecard

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]]> Response to Government’s Net Zero Review https://ukgbc.org/resources/ukgbc-responds-to-governments-net-zero-review/ Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:59:00 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=36940 On behalf of its members, UKGBC has responded to the government’s Call for Evidence as…

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]]> On behalf of its members, UKGBC has responded to the government’s Call for Evidence as part of its review into the economic opportunities that Net Zero can deliver.

In September, the Government commissioned former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore MP to lead a rapid review of the Government’s approach to delivering its net zero target. The new review aims to identify new ways to deliver the legally binding target by 2050 in a way that is pro-business and pro-growth. It will conclude in December and make recommendations to the Government.  

UKGBC gathered evidence from across its membership to compile a powerful collective economic and business case for Government to take bolder and faster action to drive the decarbonisation of the built environment – the second largest source of climate emissions in the UK. We submitted the below consultation response at the end of October, after this period of evidence gathering. 

Philip Box, UKGBC’s Policy and Public Affairs Advisor:

“It is resoundingly clear that the net zero transition, and greater action on sustainability, represent the most significant economic opportunities for our sector to deliver growth, new investment, and jobs; whilst also delivering on our legal environmental commitments. We’ve seen this plainly through our engagement with our members, and the unprecedented momentum across the industry and associated sectors

Our membership firmly supports greater government action to accelerate the UK’s net zero transition. The Government has an indisputable mandate to accelerate progress towards net zero and must fully devote its efforts to supporting the transition through all the levers at its disposal.”

Download our Response

Key Findings

1

As the second largest source of climate emissions in the UK, Government need to take bolder and faster action to drive the decarbonisation of the built environment.

2

Our membership firmly supports greater government action to accelerate the UK’s net zero transition.

3

The Government
has an indisputable mandate to accelerate progress towards net zero.

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]]> Pay As You Save https://ukgbc.org/resources/pay-as-you-save/ Tue, 11 Oct 2022 10:07:57 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=34781 The Pay As You Save report was launched in 2009 and looks at property linked finance for home retrofit.

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]]> Originally launched in 2009, UKGBC’s Pay As You Save (PAYS) report took an in depth look into ‘property linked finance’ – i.e. the possibility of spreading the cost of refurbishment for a property over a substantial period of time, across different owners. The PAYS Task Group worked with over 100 organisations to develop the proposals, and consulted online with hundreds more. The proposition achieved cross-party consensus and endorsement in the run up to the 2010 election and the PAYS concept was taken forward as ‘the Green Deal’ in 2012 by the Coalition Government. Unfortunately, having ignored almost all of the recommendations from the PAYS report in the design of the Green Deal, the Government’s scheme failed, and a huge opportunity was lost.

Now in 2022, the political context is different but there has still not been sufficient, consistent effort put towards the upgrading the Nation’s homes. As the UK faces high gas prices, a winter of fuel poverty for large swathes of the population and increasing political pressure to roll out home upgrades, property linked finance schemes are once again under the spotlight as a key solution to help fund retrofit. UKGBC strongly welcomes this renewed focus, and hopes that by republishing this 2009 resource, we can provide a useful foundation for those discussions.

Please note, that although the information in this report has increasing relevance to the current political climate, many of the statistics and some of the specific observations will have been superseded by more recent documentation.

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]]> UKGBC responds to consultation on biodiversity Net Gain Regulations and Implementation https://ukgbc.org/resources/ukgbc-responds-to-consultation-on-biodiversity-net-gain-regulations-and-implementation/ Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:38:00 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=36948 UKGBC has responded to DEFRA’s consultation on biodiversity net gain regulations and implementation proposals. UKGBC’s…

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]]> UKGBC has responded to DEFRA’s consultation on biodiversity net gain regulations and implementation proposals.

UKGBC’s members are already at the forefront of work to deliver biodiversity net gain across the construction, property, and other related sectors; with many having already delivered significant biodiversity gains on a wide variety of projects. Likewise, many of our members have made ambitious organisational commitments regarding biodiversity. The experience of our members, together with the work of our biodiversity and climate adaptation research programme, has informed our response to this consultation, and we are keen to continue to work with DEFRA to support further policy developments in this area. 

We welcome the Government’s consultation on further details for the regulation and implementation of biodiversity net gain, as UKGBC strongly supports the introduction of the biodiversity net gain requirement across new development. Developing a proportionate, effective system for delivering biodiversity enhancement will be critical for our sector to play its part in achieving the UK’s goal to reverse nature’s decline by 2030. Having clear and effective expectations for the industry, alongside robust governance, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms will be essential if net gain is to consistently deliver good quality results. Increased training and resourcing for local planning authorities will be essential if the system is to function effectively and is to be sufficiently underpinned by both the right ecological expertise and a robust evidence-base. 

Learn more about DEFRA’s consultation here.

Download Consultation Response

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]]> A housing market catalyst to drive carbon emission reductions https://ukgbc.org/resources/a-housing-market-catalyst-to-drive-carbon-emission-reductions/ Wed, 21 Apr 2021 10:27:08 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=34758 A new report setting out UKGBC's detailed proposals for a stamp duty incentive to help build a market for home energy improvements

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]]> The Climate Change Committee has made clear that the UK won’t meet its net zero target without near-complete decarbonisation of the housing stock.  But against this backdrop the vast majority of the UK’s privately owned homes remain stubbornly energy inefficient.  A big shift is therefore needed to change behaviour, improve energy efficiency and switch to low carbon heat.  But there is currently a market failure, with householders lacking the motivation to undertake improvements at anything like the rate needed, while the cost of fuel bills is rarely factored into the price of a home.

This report shows how an adjustment to Stamp Duty Land Tax could catalyse and drive the market to deliver both energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heat and power.  It would also be revenue neutral to HM Treasury. Grants could then be focused on early and ambitious adopters, supporting lower income households, accelerating scale-up and driving down costs, with financial products used to help those that are asset-rich but cash-limited.

Accompanying the report is an illustrative SDLT Energy Adjustment Calculator, with over 60 worked examples showing how the incentive would work in practice.

Though by no means a ‘silver bullet’, we firmly believe that a stamp duty incentive would drive a value differential in favour of more energy efficient homes and embed energy efficiency into the decision-making process of homebuyers.  Without it, we won’t be on track to decarbonise our housing stock or meet our climate and energy targets.

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Download Report Here

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]]> Local elections candidate briefing https://ukgbc.org/resources/local-elections-candidate-briefing/ Thu, 18 Mar 2021 10:37:43 +0000 https://ukgbc.org/?post_type=resource&p=34754 A briefing for candidates in the 2021 local elections on how they can help drive sustainability across the built environment

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]]> UKGBC has produced a comprehensive briefing designed to help candidates in the 2021 local elections understand how they can help drive the sustainability across the built environment.

Elected representatives can be a vital catalyst for action across a local authority, either by having responsibility for key policy areas, or by scrutinising existing practice.

Local authorities have significant leverage and influence through their services, planning and enforcement roles, housing, procurement, regeneration, economic development activities, education, skills services and investments. Likewise, their wider potential role in facilitating local partnerships, public engagement and communication places them at the heart of developing and replicating local solutions to our environmental challenges.

This briefing is intended primarily as an introductory resource for candidates, covering recommendations and ideas across key areas including: energy and climate standards in new homes; energy efficiency and home retrofit; how authorities can commit to local leadership; nature and climate resilience; circular economy; and social value.  It also signposts to other relevant UKGBC resources for more detail.

UKGBC has also recently produced an interactive policy map, displaying leading examples of policy from local and combined authorities across the UK. The map can be accessed here.

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