Problem addressed

48% of emissions from the UK’s built environment are produced by energy usage within the existing housing stock. This represents 16% of total UK domestic emissions (UKGBC Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap). To address this, the existing housing stock needs to be retrofitted to improve energy efficiency. Additional benefits would accompany the retrofitting process, such as local job creation, the improvement of occupier health and wellbeing, as well as future-proofing homes to meet future market demands. In its current state, home renovation can be overwhelming, inaccessible and expensive and our idea seeks to address this.

Solution overview

Through a national campaign targeting private homeowners, FutureFit 2050 seeks to raise awareness, educate and connect homeowners to retrofit solutions for their home. The campaign will catalyse demand in the industry to accelerate the response of supply chains, create employment opportunities, as well as support the elimination of fuel poverty in the UK.

A key aspect of this campaign will be the launch of an interactive app that gamifies the experience of retrofitting your home by offering bespoke solutions based on aspirations, type of property and user budget. The app will provide a single go-to platform for people to easily find information such as funding options, financial incentives and connections to trades.

This is an opportunity to help lower carbon emissions attributed to domestic energy usage, to be a part of local job creation and to empower homeowners to make their homes more efficient – a key consideration in the climate of high living costs and the energy crisis that the country is currently experiencing.

Impact

This campaign will make nationwide retrofit of existing homes a reality. It will increase awareness of the need to, and means of, retrofitting. This will bring dramatic and long lasting positive change to the UK construction industry in its address of the current skills and knowledge gaps, as well as the makeup of supply chains and future demand for materials, supporting the overall transition to a low-carbon built environment.

Benefits

• Reduced carbon emissions attributable to domestic operational energy
• Lower energy use and associated costs for homeowners
• Local job creation
• Increased demand and accelerated supply chain response
• Improvement in health and wellbeing of homeowners through the upgrade of the fabric and energy efficiency of their homes
• Development of a database from the existing housing stock
• Supporting the development of a new career pathway for those entering the career market looking to upskill, transition or begin training
• Supporting homeowners and large housing providers to make informed decisions, aligned to the needs of the climate and energy transition