This report, done in partnership with IPPR, is a first of its kind to look at the connection, between the repair maintenance and improvement sector (RMI), retrofitting and levelling up. It directly links how through delivering a nationwide programme of retrofit, the RMI sector, which is the backbone of the construction industry, will deliver a range of benefits if the government and industry fully embrace energy efficiency upgrades.
There is particular focus in this report on levelling up areas in the need of most investment. Improving the nation’s homes will disproportionally benefit these areas. For example, if a holistic nationwide plan is implemented, retrofit could account for 14% of all jobs in the constituency of Middlesbrough South East and Cleveland – with similar numbers repeated in Doncaster North, Sheffield Hallam and Stoke on Trent North, to name just a few.
The report makes five key recommendations for the government to make substantial progress:
- Standards - Set a clear direction for the market and introduce stricter EPC minimum standards and deciding on a phase out date banning the sale of oil and gas boilers
- Skills - Expand training standards to invest in skills and clamp down on bad practices such as ‘pay to pass’ training
- Funding - Introduce a comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ for financial support known as the GreenGo scheme, which would include full grants for fuel poor homes and substantial grants and zero interest loans for other groups.
- Communication - Launch a massive national information campaign and a properly resourced advice service
- Local capacity - Increase funding to local authorities to deliver retrofitting schemes tailored to their areas
Download the report
To download the full report, visit the IPPR website.
