Data Sharing and Retrofit Policy Certainty Key to Property Decarbonisation

NINE IN TEN senior business leaders do not believe current Government policy will deliver a net zero property sector by 2050.

Identifying the challenges faced as the property sector decarbonises and providing policy recommendations, the British Property Federation (BPF) and JLL, has released a report on delivering net zero properties.

Access to data is a major challenge the research identifies, with property owners and occupiers referencing it as one of the top three challenges to decarbonising. A lack of quality data makes it difficult to calculate accurate operational carbon and set realistic carbon reduction targets.

Retrofit Policy Certainty

Policy and regulatory uncertainty and a lack of financial incentives to support the retrofitting of buildings are also hindering progress. Transitioning to net zero comes at considerable cost, and without robust evidence of a return on investment, many property owners lack the confidence to invest in major energy efficiency upgrades.

To ensure the property sector can meet net zero targets the BPF has set out several essential policies. These include:

1. Mandate the sharing of energy consumption data between property owners and occupiers of large commercial buildings, and set up a Task Force to explore the particular data challenges faced by owners of residential buildings
2. Confirm urgently the detail of the planned changes to the MEES regulations for both the domestic and non-domestic private rented sectors, and the details of the proposed new performance-based energy rating system
3. Zero rate VAT on residential repairs and maintenance and reform capital allowances to incentivise investment to decarbonise
4. Move towards the mandatory installation of PV and/or green roofs on large residential, commercial and public buildings
5. Strengthen the criteria for a green tariff label
6. Allow Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to invest in off-site renewables
7. Align, and resource, the planning system to enable the net zero transition
8. Mandate the use and disclosure of Life Cycle Assessments, and set embodied carbon reduction targets

Melanie Leech, Chief Executive, British Property Federation

Melanie Leech, British Property Federation Chief Executive, said, “We need clear long-term policies, regulation and incentives to support the industry’s efforts. We urge the Government to adopt the policy recommendations in this report and to work with us to make sure we can deliver a net zero built environment by 2050.”

The BPF launched its Net Zero Pledge, an industry-wide initiative to cut carbon emissions, last year.

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