A new report, ‘Better Insulate Than Never’ has been commissioned by the Greener Futures Partnership through the think-tank, the Centre for Social Justice. The report outlines how retrofitting social housing will not only help meet the UK’s net zero targets, but provides a significant opportunity for skills development and employment in disadvantaged communities.
The report was launched at the House of Commons on Wednesday 8 November with guests including Sir Iain Duncan Smith; Lord Callanan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Sir John Redwood MP for Wokingham; Joe Shalam, Department for Work and Pensions; and members of the Greener Futures Partnership.
Gary Orr, Group Chief Executive of Abri and Chair of the Greener Futures Partnership said:
“I was delighted to welcome so many sector and parliamentary figures to the launch our new report ‘Better Insulate Than Never’ at the House of Commons. Through this report, the Greener Futures Partnership hopes to raise awareness of the significant opportunity available to not only create more energy efficient homes, but also help address social inequalities in our communities. I look forward to working with our partners in local and central government to make this a reality.”
The report shows that retrofitting social homes not only works towards meeting the Government’s net-zero targets but by bringing all homes up to a minimum Energy Performance Rating of C, nearly 130,000 jobs will be created. By focusing on providing skills to disadvantaged communities, the work will in turn support the government’s levelling up agenda.
Andy Cook, Chief Executive of the Centre for Social Justice said:
“Too often the net zero agenda is discussed in abstract terms, with vaguely defined ‘green jobs’ promised sometime in the future. But with social housing providers keenly focused on Government’s 2030 target, our research with the Greener Futures Partnership has revealed that we need an army of retrofit professionals – with demand likely to grow significantly in the coming years. This is a real opportunity for left behind communities – and particularly young people not in education, employment or training - to feel the economic benefits of net zero.”
The report calls for an accredited skills programme needed to deliver the upskilling required, at scale, and to support the creation of suitable courses through further education establishments. The report also suggests the need for a regional model for delivery, working with local authorities, private investors and contractors to look for collaborative ways to retrofit homes and create sustainable communities.
‘Better Insulate Than Never’ is one of several reports commissioned by the Greener Futures Partnership as they look to find the most effective ways of addressing social housing decarbonisation and meeting the UK’s net-zero targets. The full report can be found here.
