Social housing providers call for energy efficiency

9.45.11am GMT Wed 18th Nov 2009

Improving energy efficiency in social housing would cut carbon and also save residents money.

North East Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall has backed an ambitious campaign by social housing providers across Europe to make their existing housing stock more energy efficient in a bid to reduce greenhouse gases, tackle fuel poverty and create green jobs.

Together with other European social housing providers, the UK's National Housing Federation has called on world leaders in Copenhagen to provide a supportive legal framework and financial incentives to help the sector cut down on carbon emissions. In exchange, the social housing associations promise to refurbish 4% of their existing stock of approximately 25m homes (12% of the entire EU housing stock) every year until 2020.

Fiona, who is currently negotiating new measures for energy efficiency in new and existing buildings in the European Parliament, said:

"I am delighted that social housing providers across Europe are using the Copenhagen summit to demand action on energy efficiency improvements in buildings.

"Given that only 1% of the UK's housing stock is currently considered to be energy efficient and the recession has brought a sharp rise in fuel poverty, the UK would greatly benefit from a concerted effort to tackle the energy problems of its current housing stock. This is particularly true for the North East where one in four social houses have been classified as 'indecent' by the Government's own standards.

"In the European Parliament, we are currently pushing for up-front investment schemes and financial incentives to help with retrofitting and refurbishing buildings to the highest possible energy efficiency standard.

"Improving energy efficiency in houses goes hand in hand with fighting fuel poverty and creating jobs"

Housing is responsible for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of energy consumption so tackling it will help to fight climate change. A green refurbishment drive would also reduce energy bills, stimulate the economy by creating much-needed jobs and connect citizens to the still too abstract issue of climate change.

To maximise the potential of the housing sector in the fight against climate change, the National Housing Federation, the trade body for housing associations in England and CECODHAS, the European Liaison Committee for Social Housing have put together a Copenhagen Offer to world leaders. CECODHAS manage and own 12% of the residential stock in all European member states and provide 25 million affordable homes to more than 70 million Europeans.

The Copenhagen offer aims to encourage world leaders and EU member states to agree challenging carbon reduction targets in Copenhagen later this year and raise the profile of the potential of the housing sector in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and kick-starting an ailing economy. Provided EU leaders agree to the right financial and legislative framework, CECODHAS members commit to:

Refurbishing 4% of social and cooperative housing stock for the next 10 years, i.e. 800,000 homes.

It will reduce greenhouse emissions by increasing energy efficiency levels by 30% in housing stock,

It will lead to the direct creation of 200,000 jobs each year for the next ten years, and 140,000 jobs indirectly,

It will require investments of £16 billion each year, which will boost the renewable and energy efficiency markets.

The investment needed will require EU leaders to agree to putting in place supportive financial and legislative frameworks, such as a reduced VAT on green products, using the revenues of the Emissions Trading scheme and European cohesion policy funds (European Regional Development Funds and European Social Funds) to finance energy efficient refurbishment in existing homes.

'Realising the energy savings possibilities in buildings clearly has a number of environmental, social and economical benefits. Addressing specifically social housing is very important as it improves the living conditions and reduces the energy bills of the most disadvantaged Europeans while at the same time creates jobs locally. That is why I fully support this initiative.' Energy Commissioner Andris Pielbalgs

CECODHAS members are presenting their offer to their ministers and will be present in Copenhagen where they have observer status.