TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND FUEL POVERTY
By 2010, the Scottish executive should ensure that 40.000 houses a year are built or renovated using super insulation so that they have little or no heating bills and can meet part of their own energy needs using green technologies. (Such as solar panels, mini wind turbines, biomass boilers, heat pumps and micro or combined heat and power.) A programme should also be introduced to ensure that these technologies are installed into all public buildings.
Why?
Scientists agree that at least a 60% cut in CO2 emissions will be needed by 2050 if dangerous climate change is to be avoided.[1] Failure to meet this target will contribute to extreme weather, placing 77.000 properties in Scotland under threat from flooding and affecting 2 billion people worldwide.[2] Energy used in our homes accounts for 25% of energy use and carbon emissions, so cutting CO2 from this sector is vital to stop climate change.
Fuel poverty – not being able to afford to heat your home, is caused by poor energy efficiency, low income and high fuel prices. 100.000 children in Scotland and 25% of households in rural Scotland are thought to be in fuel poverty.[3] As fuel prices go up, this will only get worse. Insulation and green technologies would help slash heating costs and protect people from rising energy prices, allowing them to heat their homes properly.
Background
Climate change
Scotland has a climate change strategy and a target for reducing CO2 levels by 1.7million tonnes, which goes beyond the targets set for the UK as whole.[4] Despite this, the targets remain inadequate.
Fuel Poverty
The most recent government estimates showed that 328,000 households were in fuel poverty in 2003-04.[5] 59% of this figure is likely to be made up of pensioner households.[6] Action is essential as 30,000 more households fall into fuel poverty for every 5% rise in fuel prices. Since 2003 gas prices have risen by 90% and electricity by 60%.[7] This means that fuel poverty may have almost doubled since 2003.
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and the Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement require that fuel poverty be eradicated in Scotland by 2016. Despite initial progress, rising fuel prices are leading to increasing levels of fuel poverty. Fuel poverty cannot be eradicated without radical improvements in Scotland’s housing stock.
The Need to Raise Housing Standards
The Scottish Executive last updated building standards in 2002 and is currently planning a further update, which will raise standards by a further 18-25%. But these standards only apply to new buildings and don’t cover changes to existing buildings. To make a meaningful contribution to climate change objectives, building standards will have to be substantially enhanced and the rate of installation of micro-generation dramatically accelerated.
Facts
Less than 1% of Scotland’s current housing stock has an energy rating of excellent and less than half of all houses fall into the good category.[8]
Scotland’s buildings standards are years behind those in leading European countries.[9] A detached house built to the latest UK standards consumes 20% more energy than an equivalent home in Denmark.
If all of the 780,000 dwellings without cavity wall insulation were insulated this could save 1.1 million tonnes of carbon annually,[10] equivalent to 65% of the current Scottish Executive climate change target.
What needs to be done?
Super insulated homes
By employing high levels of insulation, passive solar design and air tightness it would be possible to slash heating requirements by over 70%.[11]
A micro renewables revolution
30-40% of UK electricity needs could be met from micro-generation by 2050, reducing household CO2 emissions by 15%.[12]
A 40,000 green homes target by 2010
Based on an analysis of UK wide research Scotland needs to ensure that at least 40,000 homes are fitted with micro-generation technologies if the domestic sector is to meet the target of a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.[13]
Why 40,000?
The research showed that early action to maximise the uptake of micro-renewables in new build is vital, given the slow renewal of the Scottish homes through new build, which is currently in the region of 25,000 homes a year. More homes must be built to replace the worst and least energy efficient homes in Scotland. Reaching an annual figure of 40,000 homes is therefore a modest starting point that must increase rapidly so that micro-generation technologies, including renewables, will eventually help the residential sector to meet in the region of 80% of heat and 100% of electricity demand by 2050.[14] In this respect the Oxford University research concludes that, “the targets are challenging but feasible, if government starts now”[15]
Why it can be done?
The technology is available and most sources of micro-generation will be cost effective in the next decade, a process that could accelerate if energy prices continue to rise.[16]
There is widespread public support for action on both fuel poverty and climate change. Micro-generation is a popular method of future energy production[17] and has caught the public imagination, with people now purchasing turbines and panels from DIY stores.
It is a better option than investing in new nuclear power stations, which are expensive, inflexible and hazardous and leave a legacy of radioactive waste that will have to be dumped on future generations.
How it can be achieved?
Planning guidance should require all new buildings to meet 20% of their own energy needs through onsite renewables.
Micro-renewables should not require planning permission apart from in conservation areas.
Building regulations should be put on a course to ensure that new buildings are carbon neutral by 2015, matching the best standards in Europe (currently Sweden) by 2010.
Deliver better public information on energy efficiency and micro-renewables – with information tailored to individual homes via a one stop shop.
Public sector investment programmes need to set standards specifying that all new buildings should be carbon neutral and must generate a proportion of their energy needs from onsite renewables.
Homes that install micro-renewables should receive council tax discounts to encourage the uptake of the new technology.
Targets and funding should be in place to ensure that by 2010 15,000 existing homes are brought up to the highest energy efficiency standards every year.
The amount of support available through existing grants programmes should be reviewed and increased.
How much will it cost?
It is difficult of accurately predict costs in 2010, other than offering a rough comparison with today’s prices, such as planned changes in building regulation in 2007, which will cost approx £1150 per dwelling[18] and the lowest cost micro-renewables on the market cost £1500-2500.
Researcher by Strathclyde University's Energy Systems Research Unit has estimated that improving energy conservation standards[19] would cut annual fuel bills by:
£593 for buildings brought up to the best German design standards
£660 for buildings brought up to German standards with micro generation (rooftop wind turbines or solar panels) with 40,000 homes collectively saving approximately £26,400,000 per annum
There would also be substantial positive cost benefits from cutting carbon emissions per year. The biggest health and social benefits would also be secured by targeting households with low incomes who face fuel poverty.
Notes and references
[1] Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 2000
[2] SEPA, 2006, HM Treasury, The Stern Review: The Economics of Climate
Change, 2006
[3] Written Answer SW29061
[4] Scottish Executive (2006) Changing our ways Scotland’s Climate
Change Programme
[5] Written Answer SW28656
[6] Based on Scottish Household Survey Estimates 2002
[7] BBC report 29/9/06 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5391774.stm
[8] Scottish House Conditions Survey 2003-4
[9] DEFRA (2006) Comparison of UK and Best International Standards: Energy
Efficiency Standards as at Feb 2005, Report by the Market Transformation
Programme
[10] Written Answer S2W-18491
[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_house
[12] DTI (2006) Our Energy Challenge: Power from the people
[13] Analysis based on Environmental Change Institute University of Oxford
Report the 40% House 2005, p69. Table 7.4.
[14] Ibid XVIII p72 & p90
[15] Ibid XVIII p84
[16] DTI (2006) Our Energy Challenge: Power from the people
[17] McGowan, F & Sauter, R (2005) Public Opinions On Energy Research,
A Desk Study for the research councils, Sussex Energy Group
[18] Scottish Executive (2006) Executive Note: The Buildings (Scotland)
Amendment Regulations 2006 (S.S.I 2006/534)
[19]
BBC radio report 5/3/06 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4774106.stm