Absence of energy efficiency policies attacked as industry chiefs call for action on green construction
Green industry leaders have attacked the government鈥檚 failure to include measures to improve the sustainability of the built environment in its Queen鈥檚 Speech legislative programme.
Julie Hirigoyen, newly-appointed UK Green 黑洞社区 Council chief executive, said energy efficiency 鈥渞emains on the government鈥檚 blind side鈥�, after it unveiled 21 bills 鈥� including an energy bill 鈥� which failed to address energy efficiency.
The government鈥檚 energy bill was restricted to just two measures, giving local communities an effective veto on new onshore wind farms, and changing the way the North Sea is regulated to 鈥渕aximise鈥� oil and gas production.
Hirigoyen said: 鈥淓nergy efficiency represents one of the most cost-effective means of reducing our emissions and contributes to the UK鈥檚 energy security. The Queen鈥檚 Speech represents a missed opportunity for government to set out how it can reduce emissions from our built environment.鈥�
The Queen鈥檚 Speech came a day after 55 property and construction industry executives signed an open letter to chancellor George Osborne calling for investment in energy efficiency and for it to be recognised as a national infrastructure priority - as called for by 黑洞社区鈥檚 Agenda 15 campaign.
Signatories of the letter, organised by the UK Green 黑洞社区 Council, included executives at Argent, Arup, Bam, Barratt, Sir Robert McAlpine and Willmott Dixon, as well as 黑洞社区鈥檚 publisher UBM.
Joanne Wade, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy, said the absence of energy efficiency policies in the Queen鈥檚 Speech was 鈥渧ery disappointing鈥�.
She added: 鈥淭he stated purpose of the energy bill is to provide affordable and reliable energy for businesses and families. Delivering this aim will not be possible without a significant increase in investment in energy efficiency.鈥�
Speaking on behalf of the government, the Queen did however make reference to climate change and said her government will 鈥渟eek effective global collaboration to combat climate change, including at the climate change conference in Paris later this year,鈥� which the UK GBC welcomed.
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