The National Insulation Association (NIA) has renewed its call to all political party leaders to commit to making energy efficiency retrofit an infrastructure investment priority in their election manifestos.
According to figures released at the end of 2014, over seven million households lack solid wall insulation; six million lack cavity wall insulation; and over seven million have inadequate loft insulation.
With these figures in mind, the NIA is calling on whichever Government is elected in May 2015 to prioritise the insulation of the nation’s housing stock, support efforts with additional funding from the Government Infrastructure budget and to pledge to provide support to six million low income households by 2025.
Neil Marshall, chief executive of the NIA, said:
“Recent reports have highlighted the scale of the problem and demonstrated why a fresh approach and step change in funding for energy efficiency and installation rates is needed.”
The rate of insulation installation has dropped considerably following cuts to the Government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO), with the relative failure of the Green Deal to offset this decrease making matters worse.
At the current rates of installation, the NIA estimates that it will be around 150 years until all remaining solid wall homes are insulated; 30 years for all remaining cavity wall insulation to be installed; and around 60 years before the remaining lofts are insulated to the correct level.
A recent study conducted on behalf of the Energy Bill Revolution found that were the Government to employ a more ambitious investment programme, energy efficiency policy reform would pay for itself while significantly boosting the UK economy.
Mr. Marshall added:
“The evidence is there for all to see – the current policies, programmes and funding are inadequate and yet the benefits to Government, the economy and hard pressed householders from a properly funded energy efficiency programme are huge. Therefore, we are calling on all political parties to go further and quicker in their election manifestos.”
