Only 3% of England’s homes are highly energy efficient
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Only 3% of England’s homes are highly energy efficient

By PHAM News on Fri 13 December 2024 in Insights

Only 3% of England’s homes are highly energy efficient

Article taken from PHAM News

A new report has found that just 3% of homes in England have achieved an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B, indicating high energy efficiency. This marks a marginal increase of 0.3% compared to the previous year and only 2% over the last five years.

The findings were released by Airflow, which analysed the data to highlight the slow progress towards energy-efficient housing. The report also draws attention to Passivhaus standards, widely regarded as the benchmark for sustainable construction, but notes that only 1% of new homes in the UK are built to these specifications.

The report, Is Passivhaus Achievable in the UK?, explores the challenges and opportunities for adopting more sustainable building standards. It points to barriers such as higher upfront costs, limited expertise, and a lack of policy incentives as key reasons why Passivhaus adoption remains low.

For a standard three-bedroom semi-detached house, the cost of meeting Passivhaus standards is estimated to be 8% higher than a traditional build—adding between £5,320 and £10,640 to an average construction cost of £133,000. For a two-bedroom high-rise flat, the additional cost ranges from £9,000 to £18,000 on a typical build cost of £225,000.

However, the report notes that these costs could be reduced to 4% with further development in skills and supply chain maturity. Proponents argue that the long-term energy savings and reduced maintenance costs often outweigh the initial investment.

Passivhaus principles, including improved insulation, airtightness, and optimised ventilation, can also be partially applied to existing buildings through retrofitting. The EnerPHit standard, developed by the Passivhaus Trust, offers a less stringent alternative for retrofitting while still achieving significant energy performance improvements.

The findings come amid rising energy costs and growing concerns over energy poverty, with one-third of UK households reportedly struggling to pay their energy bills. The report highlights the urgent need for more sustainable and energy-efficient housing to address these challenges.