A fairer energy future starts at home: why warmer, greener homes must work for everyone
Ian Preston of the Centre for Sustainable Energy explains how improving our homes, investing in skills and putting communities at the heart of the energy transition can deliver a cleaner, fairer and more affordable future – listen to episode 11 of Tomorrow’s Energy
Our energy future is changing, but its success will ultimately be measured by something very simple: whether people can afford to keep their homes warm in winter and comfortable in summer.
That is the view of Ian Preston, director of development and external affairs at the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), who joined Tomorrow’s Energy podcast to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s energy system.
With more than 20 years’ experience in sustainable energy, fuel poverty, research and policy, Ian believes our homes and public buildings must be at the heart of the transition.
In episode 11 Ian says: “Buildings are where people really experience the energy system. What they really understand is whether they can afford to heat their home in winter and keep it cool in summer.”
With many households still reliant on gas for heating, volatile fossil fuel prices and poorly insulated properties, improving the energy efficiency of buildings is an essential part of the solution.
“Many of the buildings that we occupy waste energy because they’re poorly insulated, poorly ventilated and they’re difficult to heat efficiently.
“Tackling the emissions from our buildings is essential because inefficient buildings increase costs, they worsen fuel poverty and they make the wider transition harder and more expensive for everybody.”
Many of the buildings that we occupy waste energy because they’re poorly insulated, poorly ventilated and they’re difficult to heat efficiently.
Tackling the emissions from our buildings is essential because inefficient buildings increase costs, they worsen fuel poverty and they make the wider transition harder and more expensive for everybody.
A fair transition
Ian is clear that fairness must underpin every decision. “We’ve got to make sure that the transition is fair and that households and communities are able to access some of those benefits and they’re not carrying disproportionate costs.”
Retrofitting the UK’s housing stock will require significant investment, but Ian believes there are opportunities to make progress by changing how people approach improvements they are already making to their homes.
Households spend billions every year on kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and general renovations. Making energy efficiency part of those projects could deliver substantial benefits.
“Some of it is a little bit about how smart we’re being with some of this, making sure that when people do extend their homes, they’re doing that in a way that makes their homes more efficient.”
He also believes the industry needs to rethink how it communicates with householders.
“The public has never heard of retrofit, they don’t care about it. They just want good homes that are warm and efficient and cheap to run, but they also want a nice kitchen.”
His message is straightforward: think about insulation, ventilation and heating efficiency whenever you invest in your home.
Long term commitment and investing in people
However, this needs long-term government support. Ian argues that a 10-year commitment to retrofit funding would give businesses the confidence to invest in equipment, premises and people.
He says: “The supply chain needs to have confidence that that investment is there for a long period of time so that they invest in their workforce, vans, depots, people.”
A successful transition depends on having enough skilled workers to deliver it. An ageing workforce, retiring heating engineers and competition for construction skills are already creating challenges.
Ian believes that investment in training, apprenticeships and new career pathways will therefore be essential. Equally important is ensuring the benefits reach everyone, rather than just those who can afford solar panels, home batteries and electric vehicles.
“We don’t want just the early adopters to be benefiting from new technology,” Ian says.
Support for renters
He believes government grant funding must be carefully targeted, while existing protections for renters and vulnerable households must be properly enforced.
“The real test for government is whether we’re making sure that people on the lowest incomes, renters, vulnerable households benefit too.”
Local authorities and housing providers also need sufficient resources to make energy efficiency standards effective.
Preparing our homes for hotter summers
Energy efficiency is not just about keeping homes warm. As temperatures rise, homes and communities must also be able to stay cool. In the UK this was paramount this summer.
“I think the target’s got to be a home that’s comfortable all year round. It needs to be cheap to heat, cheap to keep cool.”
Ian highlights opportunities including external window shading, shutters, green spaces and air-to-air heat pumps, which can provide both heating and cooling.
He also sees considerable potential in area-based programmes that combine home improvements with investment in trees, parks and blue spaces.
“There’s an absolute win there with adaptation. You could be doing things at the same time that bring co-benefit.”
This could be particularly valuable for lower income communities, which often have less access to green space and are more exposed to extreme heat.
A future with greater energy independence
Looking ahead, Ian sees considerable opportunities in smart meters, home batteries and more flexible energy use. These technologies could help households store electricity when it is cheaper and use it when prices are higher, giving people greater control over their energy.
The opportunity is to create an energy system in which households are not simply consumers but active participants in how energy is generated, stored and used.
Ultimately, Ian believes the transition is within our grasp, provided we take the right steps now.
Better homes, lower bills, new skills and healthier communities are all achievable goals. However, the benefits must be shared.
Listen now
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