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Chartered Institute of Housing challenges government

Posted: 27/06/2007

With over a quarter of all UK CO2 emissions (27%) coming from houses, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has challenged the Government to take action to help people make changes to their homes. Following environmentalist and broadcaster Dick Strawbridge’s keynote presentation at the CIH’s Annual UK Conference and Exhibition, the CIH has highlighted the impact that housing emissions have on the environment.

Strawbridge told delegates that he did not care why people acted to improve their energy efficiency at home and reduce emissions so long as they did it. In his work he has found that most people were motivated by money issues and what they can save. So, he concluded, let us motivate people financially.

Earlier in the week, CIH President, Paul Diggory announced a ‘Green Three-Point Plan’, which included financial motivation. He said: "I don’t know why everyone is going on about air-travel when two times as much CO2 is pumped into the air by our own homes. If we seriously want to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions the real challenge is not planes – it’s plainly striving to make our homes carbon neutral.

"The Government’s recent zero-carbon target for new homes is important but it does nothing to address the far bigger problem of the existing housing stock.

That is why I am calling on Gordon Brown to implement a three-point plan. One, to commit to tax incentives to encourage people to start ‘greening’ existing houses. Secondly, to investigate the introduction of a national eco-ratings system for houses, similar to those we already have on white goods. And thirdly, to invest more in innovative work to find practical solutions which will help people to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes.

"Dick Strawbridge talked about the need to motivate people to take action. I believe the three-point plan will help to do that", concluded Diggory.

Hugh Ellis from Friends of the Earth, who was also speaking, said that people needed tools to take action and people do want to do something. Again CIH’s suggestions will help."

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