Research carried out by EDF in partnership with Sprift has found that the majority (58%) of properties across England and Wales only meet insulation standards of 1976 or older.
The study analysed the current levels of home insulation (including floor, roof, window and wall insulation) against building regulations of homes across different time periods to calculate the nation’s ‘home insulation age’.
The analysis found that a third (6.3 million) of properties across England and Wales only meet insulation standards of 1972 Building Regulations and a further 6 million (27%) meet regulatory insulation criteria of 1976.
Looking at insulation regulations since the turn of the century, just 1.6 million properties (7.5%) have an insulation age of 2002 or younger, with a mere 4,663 properties having an insulation age of 2013. Of those homes built before 1976 (13.6 million), just 3,867 properties (0.03%) have been updated with additional energy efficiency measures to meet an insulate age of 2002 or younger.
As energy prices continue to rise, improving energy efficiency through insulation measures offers an opportunity to cut household bills, yet two thirds (66%) of respondents did not know the EPC rating of their home with a fifth (21%) of homeowners having no idea about the different ways properties can be insulated to improve their energy efficiency.
When bills were at £1,200 per year, loft insulation saved £165 a year. Against the current £2,000 cap, these savings are £250 a year and will be higher if bills continue to rise. The average semi-detached homeowner could also save up to £285 a year if they upgraded their cavity-wall insulation and a further £390 a year by updating their solid-wall insulation5. The desire to reduce energy bills is the main driver for almost two thirds (65%) of those that have thought about updating or have updated their home’s insulation, whilst more than four in 10 (43%) have improved their home energy efficiency for the good of the planet.
EDF is calling for a national effort to get British homes ‘Winter Ready’ through the installation of insulation and smart meters. The company has also announced it will spend an extra £20 million on energy efficiency measures for fuel poor households this year to get as many homes as possible insulated against rising prices.
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director for Customers at EDF, said: “It’s surprising that the average insulation age of a home is over 40 years old, with so few homes having sufficient insulation installed to meet modern energy efficiency standards. As energy prices continue to rise, quality insulation is the most effective way to cut household bills permanently, however is often overlooked as the cost of installation is a significant barrier to many. That’s why it’s so important that we work with Government and industry to find new ways to get more homes insulated as soon as possible and why we’ll be supporting our vulnerable customers to help insulate their homes now, ahead of bills rising again in October.”
To support this investment, EDF is asking the Government to consider new schemes that will help more people insulate their homes. A Government-funded extension of the ECO scheme that helped pay towards the cost of insulation could help cut bills for millions more homes permanently, as well as creating jobs and boosting the economy.
To date the ECO scheme, which aims to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty, has provided 2.2 million of the UK’s poorest households with energy efficiency measures which will save £15bn over their lifetimes. EDF are leaders in ECO, with over 40,000 measures installed last year and since 2018, its installations have delivered more than £248 million in lifetime bill savings.
For further information visit: edfenergy.com/heating/advice/what-is-insulation-how-does-work
