黑洞社区

The industry has given a mixed response to the government鈥檚 10-point plan to meet its net zero targets by 2050 by creating a 鈥済reen industrial revolution鈥�.

Contractors and trade bodies have said the 拢4bn package, part of a wider 拢12bn fund which aims to create up to 250,000 green jobs and 鈥榣evel up鈥� former industrial areas of the UK, does not go far enough in addressing the construction鈥檚 contribution to CO2 emissions.

Ramboll UK managing director Mathew Riley criticised the 鈥渘arrow focus鈥� of the plan, adding that it 鈥渟imply isn鈥檛 enough鈥� to make a meaningful impact on the built environment, which currently contributes up to 40% of the UK鈥檚 carbon footprint.

He said: 鈥淚ndustry collaboration here is key; the construction sector is poised to contribute but the government must lead this interaction and utilise existing knowledge and networks to help the sector innovate, change practices and deliver the change needed.鈥�

UK Green 黑洞社区 Council chief executive Julie Hirigoyen welcomed the extension of the Green Homes Grant, which allows landlords and homeowners to claim back up to two thirds of the cost of energy efficiency improvements to homes, by a year.

But she said that the government needed to provide funding certainty beyond the next financial year to 鈥済ive the industry the confidence to invest in their workforce, hire more staff and develop their supply chains鈥�.

She added that more incentives were needed to boost consumer demand for green homes, including a variable stamp duty to make greener homes cheaper and reduced VAT on home renovations to further encourage homeowners to invest in energy efficiency improvements.

Federation of Master Builders chief executive Brian Berry also welcomed the extension of the Green Homes Grant, but added that the initiatives 鈥渘eed to be more ambitious about the built environment if the government is serious about creating a low carbon economy鈥�.

Berry, RIBA president Alan Jones and the Chartered Institute of 黑洞社区 (CIOB) said they were disappointed that the government鈥檚 plan did not include a national retrofit strategy to make homes greener, with the CIOB saying that the 拢12bn fund was a 鈥渄rop in the ocean compared to the amount that will be needed to ensure that our built environment is fit to meet the net zero target鈥�.

It was a view seconded by former RIBA president and chair of housing specialist HTA Design Ben Derbyshire, who tweeted: 鈥淭he plan is a start but not quite a green industrial revolution.鈥�

Jones added: 鈥淲hen it comes to energy efficiency, our homes are fundamentally below the mark, and this will only be made more obvious by the changes in working habits brought about by the covid-19 pandemic.鈥�

But the funding was welcomed by Civil Engineering Contractors Association director of external affairs Marie-Claude Hemming, who said: 鈥淲e are pleased that this plan recognises that the UK needs a mixed portfolio of energy generation, with projected investment in both wind energy and in large and small-scale new nuclear reactors.鈥�

And director of policy at the Environmental Industries Commission Matthew Farrow said: 鈥淭hese tangible steps will ensure progress continues towards a carbon free future.鈥� He urged the government to bring in regulations to enforce the policies to combat 鈥渟ometimes scandalously low鈥� compliance.

He warned: 鈥淲ithout more effort and resources put into this area, today鈥檚 encouraging announcements are likely to have limited impact.鈥�

The government鈥檚 announcements coincide with the month in which the UN鈥檚 climate change conference, also known as COP26, was due to be held in Glasgow before it was postponed to November 2021 due to the covid-19 pandemic.