Only 2% of new homes meet top energy efficiency standard
Just 2% of the new homes delivered in England and Wales in the second quarter of 2021 were built to the highest energy efficiency standard, official figures reveal.
Latest Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data released by the government shows that just 1,217 of the 61,655 new homes delivered between April and June this year were rated EPC A.
All new homes are given an EPC rating between A and G, with A being the most efficient in terms of likely fuel costs and carbon dioxide emissions.
A total of 51,411 homes (83%) delivered in the second quarter of 2021 in England and Wales were rated EPC B, while 6,347 (12%) were EPC C, 2,111 (4%) were EPC D and 519 (1%) were EPC E.
As well as new builds, the figures include the number of new homes delivered through conversions and change of use.
There are currently no legal requirements on a minimum EPC rating for new build homes, however the government has said that all social housing, including existing homes, must meet a minimum standard of EPC C by 2035.
This week Inside Housing published a piece of research that revealed less than 1.5% of housing associations were building homes that achieved B and A.
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Richard Lupo, managing director of consultancy SHIFT Environment, told Inside Housing that social landlords should be building homes to an EPC A standard now if they want to be net zero by 2050.
He said: “The more EPC A homes you’re adding to your stock right now, it brings up the average energy efficiency of the stock that much more, and it’s the average that is the important thing. If you’re only adding Bs and you want the average to be mid-range B by 2050, you’ve got to do a hell of a lot more to your existing homes to get them from D to B than from D to C.”
The government’s EPC figures also give one of the earliest indications of the number of new homes being delivered in England and Wales as all new homes are required to receive an EPC certificate.
The figures show a 103% increase on the number of new homes being delivered in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 when construction was temporarily shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the figures, housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “This government acted decisively to keep the housing market open and operating safely during the pandemic. We are now seeing the benefit as these latest figures indicate an increase in supply of green homes.
“Not only do we want to build back better, we want to make sure homes across the nation are fit for the future, better for the environment and more affordable for homeowners to heat. Our environmental targets will be fair and affordable to everyone.”
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