Vent-Axia, leaders in low carbon technology, welcomes the new report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which calls for a further ‘step change’ in emissions reductions. Vent-Axia considers this acceleration in carbon reductions crucial to meeting UK carbon budgets. To achieve this further step change Vent-Axia now urges the Government to implement a framework to incentivise households across the UK to take simple energy efficiency measures that will allow significant carbon reductions to be made in one fell swoop.
Under the Climate Change Act the CCC is required to report annually on emissions reductions relative to the UK’s carbon budgets. The Committee’s second report “Meeting carbon budgets – ensuring low carbon recovery” cites an 8.6% decline in greenhouse gases in the UK over the past year. However, unfortunately the CCC attributes this almost entirely due to the reduction of economic activity caused by the recession and increased fossil fuel/energy prices, and not the result of the implementation of measures to reduce emissions. As the economy returns to growth, the Committee fears the risk is that emissions will increase, and that carbon budgets will not be achieved.
“At Vent-Axia we welcome the CCC’s call for a further “step change” in emissions reductions and believe that the Government now needs to focus on lowering carbon generated by the UK’s residential and commercial buildings. In the residential sector, to make the necessary savings to meet UK carbon budgets, we now need to incentivise householders to take up comprehensive whole house packages. Financial incentives will also be an essential driver to increase the penetration of the renewable heat technology in both residential and non-residential buildings and industry,” explains Lee Nurse, marketing manager at Vent-Axia.
In the report the CCC advised that to achieve this further step change in carbon reductions new policies in at least four key areas would be needed, highlighting electricity market reform; buildings; transport; and agriculture. For buildings the report’s findings show that more clarity is required on how a national programme to encourage energy efficiency measures in the home will be funded, how householders will be incentivised to act, and the role of energy companies, businesses, local authorities and private landlords in helping to make buildings more efficient.
The importance of increasing renewable heat penetration in the UK was also highlighted in the report, since a rise in this technology is necessary to meet the first three carbon budgets; to meet the UK’s obligations in the context of the EU’s renewable energy target; and to develop technologies for roll out in the 2020s. The CCC is currently reviewing renewable energy ambition that will look at renewable energy and heat and is set to report back to Government in Spring 2011.
“New build homes are already being built in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes to ensure we reach zero carbon targets by 2016, but it is existing buildings we now need to turn our attention to, to reduce emissions. Home insulation is a simple measure that will have a profound effect on efficiency. However, as buildings become more air tight we also have to ensure they have good ventilation in line with Part F. Finally, once a building is well insulated and ventilated the next step is to reduce emissions further by opting for a renewable heat technology. We have to focus on whole house efficiency now if the next carbon budgets are to be achieved,” adds Lee Nurse.
