The government-backed Net Zero Week (5-11 July) is now underway and is a timely opportunity to reflect on our current status with regard to improving the energy efficiency of our buildings. The message from IMA remains clear: we must get the basics right first if we want to remain on track towards the UK’s 2050 carbon neutral target.
The pledge to build 1.5 million ‘safe and decent homes’ during this parliament and recent relaunch of the Net Zero Council has seen a renewed focus on housing delivery. Whilst there is little confidence this housing target will be achieved, every ambition must be balanced with an emphasis on quality. We cannot afford to add properties to the future retrofit challenge by building homes that will require substantial retrofitting and refurbishment in the coming decades.
We have long advocated the need for a fabric first approach on the way to meet the binding net zero 2050 targets but too often there are conflicting views that mistakenly believe fabric first can be bypassed in favour of heat pumps and renewables. This top-down, technology-first approach will result in homes that will underperform and use more energy than necessary. If we are serious about achieving net zero, new builds must be built to the highest possible standard and that starts with getting the insulation right.
Holistic approach
Proprietary work must be done to ensure a property is geared up to receive these heating systems, so they are able to operate efficiently. There is no point installing heat pumps and solar panels in buildings that leak and underperform.
By reducing the total energy demand of a building, the heat pump performance will be maximised, which in turn will reduce capital and running costs. Only when energy demands are reduced to a low level, is it possible to service those demands in the most efficient way. It is important not to add undue burdens through the running costs of renewables such as heat pumps.
Fabric first is a low-tech, ‘fit and forget’ solution that homeowners or occupiers will appreciate without even realising it, as the thermal performance is an inherent part of the building fabric throughout the life of the building. By concentrating initially on delivering a high standard fabric-first solution, heat pumps and other renewables can then be introduced successfully.
The net zero challenge does not stop with new homes. We must also deal with the multitude of existing buildings with poor energy-efficiency, including nearly 30 million existing homes across the social, owner occupier and private rented sectors, many of which require substantial improvements to enhance their energy performance. Tackling these buildings is not just about applying superficial changes, but about undertaking deep and comprehensive retrofits that address insulation, heating systems, and overall energy efficiency.
Time is not on our side and so we must address the first line of defence with an improved and thermally efficient building fabric to ensure homes are resilient to the changing climate and ensuring the promised benefits of other energy saving measures are achieved. As Net Zero Week reminds us, the road to 2050 starts with the choices we make today and that route begins with getting the building fabric right.
8 July 2025
Back to News