Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement announced earlier today, Gillian Charlesworth, CEO of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), commented:

“Today’s announcement by the Chancellor of a new long-term ambition and funding to deliver energy efficiency across our buildings and cut energy consumption by 15% by 2030 is extremely welcome – and much-needed.

“As households and businesses grapple with soaring energy bills and rising costs, reducing demand for natural gas will be the only effective way of bringing bills down over the long-term and addressing the increasingly apparent climate emergency.

“The UK has one of the oldest and draughtiest building stocks in Europe – a fact which unnecessarily inflates our demand for natural gas and, consequently, leads to higher bills.

“By decarbonising our building stock, we can tackle the energy and climate crises head-on, shielding consumers and businesses from future volatility in gas prices and bolstering the efficiency of our buildings.

“We look forward to seeing further detail on the Government’s energy independence plans and the Energy Efficiency Taskforce that will deliver these.

“Ultimately, maintaining funding for the UK’s net zero commitments, including those related to the built environment, will ensure that momentum is not lost on Britain’s green transition and that households and the private and public sectors are not plunged into an even bleaker future.”