Lynne Featherstone MP for Hornsey and Wood Green joined Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud outside Parliament to build a compelling case for a nationwide green refurbishment programme.
The Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign, led by Kevin McCloud, has gained the support of thousands of homeowners across the country who are asking for Government support to make their homes more energy efficient.
Tackling our poorly insulated, inefficient housing stock, has the potential to reduce homeowners energy bills, create thousands of ‘green collar’ jobs, and help the UK meet its climate change targets.
Lynne Featherstone MP joined the campaign by helping Kevin McCloud insulate his ‘home’ outside the Houses of Parliament.
Lynne Featherstone MP said: “Tackling the energy efficiency of the UK’s 26 million existing homes must be a priority for the Government. Homeowners can do their bit to reduce their energy consumption, but they need more support and greater financial incentives to green their homes, and unlock the potential energy and cost savings within their four walls.”
It is estimated that by retrofitting our existing housing stock, nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved – the equivalent to the average CO2 output of over 1.5 million homes per year. The market for green refurbishment and improvement could be worth between £3.5 billion and £6.5 billion per year and thousands of new jobs could be created. Britons could save on average £300 a year on household bills by being more energy efficient and improving heating and insulation in the home
The Great British Refurb Campaign is supported by the Energy Saving Trust, Grand Designs magazine, UK Green Building Council and WWF-UK. Thousands of homeowners have already added their name to a petition calling upon the Prime Minister to make it easier, more affordable, and more attractive to go green at home. This petition will be delivered to No 10 Downing Street later this week and is well timed to coincide with the Government’s latest announcement on reducing the UK’s energy demands.
Kevin McCloud says: “We urgently need a plan of action to deliver on our climate change targets. A nationwide programme of green refurbishment is an ideal solution, creating a major reduction in carbon emissions and providing a boost to the economy through the creation of green collar jobs in our communities. But in order to achieve this, the Government must first remove the cost barrier and make it a tangible solution for the nation’s homeowners.”
The Great British Refurb Campaign is calling upon the Government to:
1. Offer households new ways to pay for green refurbishment, which would significantly reduce upfront costs and instead spread them over a longer period of time.
2. Provide better financial incentives for householders to refurbish their homes to make them greener and more energy efficient, through substantial government grants, subsidies or tax rebates.
3. Ensure installers are qualified and approved to undertake the work.
To find out more about the Great British Refurb Campaign visit www.greatbritishrefurb.co.uk.
Lynne Featherstone 