Energy efficiency of new homes in England improves

The majority of new homes (84%) in England achieved an energy rating of either A or B in the past quarter, according to the latest Government figures.

The figure was an increase on the 79% of homes that achieved the standard in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, the number of domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) lodged in England rose by 10% on the same quarter in 2019, with a total of 392,000.

EPCs are mandatory for all domestic buildings and provide new home owners with an indicator on how energy efficient their property is and how they can save on costs.

The news followed a report published last month by Historic England, which found that carbon emissions from a detached Victorian home can be reduced by 84% if retrofitted.

A group of MPs also called on the Government to develop a national retrofit strategy with colleges and other education providers to address a lack of energy efficiency measures in buildings. They also criticised the implementation of the Green Homes Grant, launched in September last year with the aim of giving funding to up to 600,000 homeowners to install insulation, heat pumps, draught proofing and other measures to cut energy bills. The Green Homes Grant has since been scrapped, after reaching only 10% of the homes it was supposed to.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "This government has gone to great lengths to support homebuilding over the past year by keeping the industry open and operating safely during the pandemic – alongside stimulating the market through the stamp duty holiday and a huge £12bn investment in affordable homes. These latest statistics show the sector remains healthy.

"Building back greener and delivering quality energy efficient homes is a priority for this government and these figures highlight our commitment to helping keep household bills low for people, while looking towards a more sustainable future."

This article originally appeared on Construction Manager