Extinction Rebellion Should Support the National Retrofit Strategy (NRS)

AN Extinction Rebellion (XR) splinter group called ‘Insulate Britain’ have been blocking motorways to bring attention to their strategy to insulate British homes.

Rico Wojtulewicz, head of housing and planning policy for the National Federation of Builders (NFB), has commented on the protests, saying: “XR are going about this the wrong way. There is already a document which industry supports called the National Retrofit Strategy (NRS) but rather than supporting and amplifying the policy, XR have taken it, ignored the vital elements which make it work and overlaid it with some of their concepts so they can claim a strategy of their own.

“If XR truly cared about climate outcomes, they would have asked us how they could support our efforts to get the Government’s backing or at the very least, returned the contact we made with them.

“The NRS, which the NFB is part of, understands the complexities which exist in retrofitting 22 million English homes and as more information comes forward, its strategy is continually updated. It places a strong emphasis on policy which will help retrofit the hardest to insulate buildings and creates a timeline which ensures new products and techniques are deliverable and can come to market.

“It is also continually welcoming input from new supporters and trying to understand how it can deliver even better outcomes.”

Wojtulewicz, continued: “The NRS blends climate needs, delivery capacity, policy and frameworks to do exactly what Insulate Britain call for; however, it creates the environment for it to happen more quickly and recognises that the big change maker, planning, is devolved in each region.

If we want to insulate England’s homes, we must support and amplify the NRS, not distort or duplicate it.”