Coalition of campaigners calls for major infrastructure investment to boost energy efficiency

A coalition of environmental, health and anti-poverty campaigners has called for major infrastructure investment to boost energy efficiency in Scotland’s homes.

The Existing Homes Alliance is calling for significant investment in a National Infrastructure Priority for energy efficiency, with the overall aim of making all housing warm and healthy by 2025.

With 35 per cent of households in Scotland classified as living in fuel poverty, the Alliance is campaigning for all homes to be upgraded to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C. Campaigners argue it would save the NHS money and create new jobs.

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Meanwhile the Head of the British Lung Foundation in Scotland, Irene Johnstone, warned that cold and damp homes cause illnesses such as lung disease, placing additional strain on our health and social services. 

Alan Ferguson, chair of the Existing Homes Alliance said: “It's well accepted that investment in infrastructure is good for the economy, but a major investment in energy efficiency will also help tackle fuel poverty, address health inequalities and reduce our climate change emissions.”

The group says the investment would help boost small and medium sized businesses.

Ferguson said: “In addition, such a move would create up to 9,000 jobs, spread across all of Scotland, unlike other infrastructure projects. No other capital investment can make such a social and economic difference to every part of the country, making investment in ending ‘cold homes’ an infrastructure investment of truly national importance.”

With heating accounting for over half of Scotland’s emissions, WWF Scotland said upgrading homes to a grade C in energy efficiency is “the minimum level of ambition required to allow our climate change targets to be met”.

Fabrice Leveque, climate and energy policy officer at WWF Scotland said: “A recent independent Infrastructure Task Force identified energy efficiency as one of the three types of low-carbon infrastructure most in need of investment from the Scottish Government.

“A political commitment that no-one should live in a hard-to-heat, draughty home would be good for millions of households, and would drastically reduce emissions too.”