The Clean Growth Strategy, published in October 2017, committed the Government to consult on a package of measures to support businesses to improve how productively they use energy.
Objectives of the consultation
This call for evidence set out possible approaches to improving energy efficiency in business and industry by 20% by 2030 and sought views on the level of ambition and how the Government plan to measure the progress. It also sought views on the actions the Government could take to support business to take up energy efficiency across buildings and industrial processes.
The Government's analysis suggest that the majority of the savings could come from commercial and industrial buildings, split broadly equally across the private rented and owner occupier sectors, with the remaining savings being delivered by more efficient industrial processes. The largest sectors in terms of energy consumption are industrial, offices, retail and hospitality.
This call for evidence closed on 26 September 2018. Evidence provided and responses received will be used to inform policy development ahead of announcements of specific policy instruments or more detailed consultation.
Supporting papers
To download the consultation document, please follow the link below.
- Helping businesses to improve the way they use energy - Call for evidence
- Original Consultation Page
CIBSE response
CIBSE notes and wholeheartedly supports the recent report of the Committee for Climate Change on progress in reducing emissions from the building stock. Compliance with Building Regulations requirements to conserve fuel and power need to be taken more seriously by all concerned, with regulatory support to complement market mechanisms. Market mechanisms alone have not, and will not, get us where the Climate Change Act and Paris Agreement commit us to be, or where the basic atmospheric and climate change science demands that we go.
CIBSE supports the findings of international research mentioned in this consultation i.e. “improving the efficiency of existing buildings often requires a combination of policy interventions including performance-based energy targets, building energy codes and standards, mandatory energy performance disclosure and voluntary standards that become mandatory supported by finance or other incentives”. These very much align with recommendations CIBSE has made over the years and in recent consultations, in particular:
- The future framework for heat in buildings, 2018
- Building a market for energy efficiency, 2018
- Streamlined energy and carbon reporting, 2018
- Cutting energy bills and carbon emissions in the public and higher education sectors, 2017.
CIBSE welcomes a number of options mentioned in this consultation, such as reviewing Part L of building regulations and reviewing requirements for minimum Energy Performance Certificates. The Institution very much thinks that regulations need tightening to drive improvements in new and existing buildings, and will be engaging in depth in these reviews.
To read the full CIBSE response, please follow the link below.