Upgrading Britain’s Homes

UKGBC has convened organisations from across the built environment, technology, academia, banking and energy sectors to champion scaled-up investment and game-changing national policies that will drive a once-in-a-generation upgrade of Britain’s homes.

With an immense economic prize, a permanent slash in energy bills and greater energy security on offer, the coalition is committed to breaking the logjam that is currently preventing widescale retrofit. By drawing together the latest evidence and best expertise, the coalition will calculate the size of overall investment needed from government and the private sector and build consensus around the most impactful national policies.  

What is the coalition calling for?

We are calling on the UK government and opposition parties to commit to a major step-change in levels of investment in home retrofit and to introduce bold policies that match the size of the challenge.  

With homes responsible for 48% of carbon emissions from the built environment, and UK homes being some of the leakiest in Europe, this issue is critical if the UK is to meet our climate goals. Additionally, with a cost of living crisis driven by high energy costs still raging – and poor insulation disproportionately harming people who are worse off – upgrading Britain’s homes is a sound investment in our future prosperity and quality of life.  

Who are you aiming to influence?

The coalition aims to win commitments in the manifestos and plans for government of the major parties. Our advocacy efforts will focus on Government and opposition politicians – primarily ministers, shadow ministers and opposition party leaders. We will also engage with influential politicians and political groupings within the major parties, political and policy advisors and officials in the Treasury, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.  

We are ultimately aiming to build consensus and momentum to put upgrading our homes at the heart of the next government’s policies.  

What will the coalition do?

We are planning activity across a number of workstreams designed to build consensus around several critical themes about retrofit: 

  • Calculate how much direct government investment is needed to meet the challenge 
  • Draw together the best evidence and expertise to identify game-changing policies 
  • Advocate for commitments from the government and opposition parties  
  • Grow the coalition across the industry to demonstrate broad support 
  • Map the wider social and economic opportunities offered by scaled-up retrofit investment 

Who can join and who is part of the coalition?

We are calling on organisations, companies and leaders across the built environment sector to join the coalition and promote the recommendations as ambassadors across their sectors and to political and policy decision makers. 

The coalition has been convened by UKGBC. Founding Partners are leading UKGBC members from across the built environment, technology, academia, banking and energy sectors who have contributed their thought leadership, time and resources to make the project happen.  

They include UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero Programme Partners: Bam, Berkeley Group, Buro Happold, CBRE, Grosvenor, Hoare Lea, ISG, JLL, Lloyds Banking Group, Rockwool, Turner & Townsend. And six Project Partners: Clarion Housing Group, E.ON, the Greater London Authority, Arup, HTA, Lendology.cic, and SE2 

The coalition is drawing on the expertise of consultant research partners including C-Path and Leeds Beckett University.  

How can my organisation join?

Any organisation interested in joining the coalition can sign up via the link below. 

Work is currently under development and we expect the coalition to publish its first report in the autumn.

Sign up to learn more

19 million homes need updating, as they’re rated ‘D’ or below.

500,000 skilled jobs across the country can be created by retrofit.

£1.4bn saved by the NHS if we retrofit the nation’s homes.

Other retrofit resources