Complex-to-decarbonise homes:
a new definition for the housing sector
DG Cities and UCL partnered to deliver a new approach to identifying and tackling unique and challenging housing. Our work for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero defines complex to decarbonise properties, and outlines a method to identify them for retrofit and decarbonisation.
The UK Government has set the target of reaching net zero carbon by 2050. Heat in buildings accounts for 37% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. However, an estimated 10 million homes Britain are difficult to insulate or improve by conventional means.
The sheer diversity of homes in Great Britain means there is no one-size fits all solution – the country also has the oldest housing stock in Europe. We’ve spoken to housing and built-environment professionals who understand and have worked with every building type, from heritage properties to multiple-occupancy towers; any type of home where it is not easy to incorporate conventional cavity insulation, loft insulation or low-carbon heating solutions, such as heat pumps. The efficacy of approaches differs considerably by context, materials, housing type and resident behaviour.
This new work outlines a way to better understand these properties, and offers a new definition to help local authorities, social housing providers and others across the built environment sector to deliver decarbonisation on unique housing archetypes.
Read our summary guide
We have summarised the new research for local authorities which outlines they key finding and opportunities for their housing and retrofit programmes here.
Read the full report
The full report is available here for download.
“This isn’t just about buildings, it’s about people – ‘complex to decarbonise’ doesn’t just mean the properties, but also the diversity of ownership, needs and uses, as well as the time and budget residents are able to spend. The project is about understanding how government and industry can ensure nobody is left behind when it comes to decarbonisation. ”