THE Government must build on its Energy Efficiency Strategy with radical action if it is to tackle housing stock, says the Federation of Master Builders.
If the Government is to take full advantage of the economic, environmental and social benefits of improving UK energy efficiency then it needs to urgently tackle housing stock which accounts for 27 per cent of the UK's total carbon emissions, says the FMB.
The trade association spoke out this month in response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change's strategy, which was published on November 12. It included a package of new efficiency measures that could cut the UK's energy use by 11 per cent by 2020.
It is the UK's first national Energy Efficiency Strategy and it aims to kick start "a revolution" in UK energy efficiency across all sectors, including housing manufacturing, and transport.
Responding to the announcement Brian Berry, pictured, chief executive of the FMB, said: "The Government's Energy Efficiency Strategy is an important step forward in ensuring the UK devises a meaningful, long-term strategic plan for maximising the potential for energy efficiency improvements. However, radical action is needed to transform our existing building stock to make it greener and more energy efficient.
"It's becoming ever more apparent that the Government's Green Deal retrofit initiative is not going to deliver the transformational change that is needed, which is why we need a range of incentives to promote energy efficiency. We are doing our bit to encourage small builders to equip themselves with the skills and training needed to compete in the energy efficiency marketplace, but they need certainty that the Green Deal will deliver the much needed business opportunities and that the Government is fully behind the scheme.
"While the strategy usefully summarises the challenge ahead, it contains very little in terms of detailed aims and objectives. The Government's intention to develop a series of sector guides on what benefits increasing energy efficiency can bring to consumers by next summer is welcome and the FMB looks forward to working with DECC to assist on behalf of the building industry."
