Charity demands swift reforms for outdated EPC system

Reply to the comment left by EPC Killjoy at 08/02/2024 - 11:10"We found that energy efficiency retrofits are often combined with home improvements that actually increase consumption, such as extensions"
This is why improvements in gas consumption are short-lived according to the Cambridge report to which you referred somewhat misleadingly.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 08/02/2024 - 15:59A huge proportion of goods sold in this country are manufactured in China, the economics speak for themselves and any attempt at protectionism will be totally counter productive and dramatically increase the cost of solar panel installation. The report says that in the USA, where trade barriers have been introduced, the cost of solar panels is double what it is here. It also says that currently up to 95% of solar panels used in Europe are manufactured in China

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 08/02/2024 - 17:42
Thank goodness we are out of the EU and can still get cheap Chinese PV. Just as BP didn't want PV, USA will seek to maintain its resumed hegemony in fossil fuel supply.

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 08/02/2024 - 17:32
The report found unambiguously that additional loft insulation did not lead to reduced gas bills. German studies equally tried to blame 'human behaviour' for increased energy use after retrofitting. There were no measurements to compare whole house comfort with individual rooms or indeed added rooms. Post rationalisations were found for unexpected results. The fact is fluffy insulation in a loft, or applied externally, just gets cold very quickly. (Unlike the improved resistance of a cavity wall over a solid one). Most people think clothing is appropriate “insulation” for a building but to be effective it has to have you heating it from the inside. Unheated lofts with fluffy insulation just get cold quickly.

Reply to the comment left by EPC Killjoy at 08/02/2024 - 19:17
"Unheated lofts with fluffy insulation just get cold quickly."

Of course they do. The insulation stops the heat from the house rising into the loft. I do not understand what point you are making.

But it doesn’t act as insulation and the studies prove it. I bet you have never done a U value calculation and like many of us, struggled with finding the thermal resistance of all the different materials in construction. The U value is the inverse of the resistance and applies to the direction of travel of the energy. Hot goes to cold, the fluffy ‘insulation’ has little mass to warm up so transfers what little heat it has to the cold damp draughty loft.

Reply to the comment left by EPC Killjoy at 08/02/2024 - 20:14
So why is the loft colder than the room(s) below it?

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 08/02/2024 - 17:42
I suspect that protectionism would also increase inflation.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 09/02/2024 - 09:38
And on a matter related to policies designed to encourage us to install cavity wall insulation rather than find ways for us to generate power rather than use gas (which is becoming increasingly attractive), efforts to encourage us to use CWI haven't worked out well for many people.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/ssb-law-hundreds-face-losing-their-homes-after-signing-up-to-controversial-no-win-no-fee-legal-firm-which-collapsed-owing-ps48m-4510931

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 09/02/2024 - 09:38
... and you and I can do something about it ?....