Ian Sollom MP calls on Government to support residents to make homes more energy efficient
With the worrying changes in weather patterns, St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrat MP Ian Sollom is calling on the Government to introduce an energy saving homes scheme so people can ensure their homes are energy efficient and prepared for all seasons.
Ian’s call followed a visit he made to his constituent, Paul Kershaw’s house in Oakington, which has been retrofitted with a range of energy-saving measures and renewable technology to mitigate the effects of climate change and save on energy bills.
Paul’s house has operated without energy bills for seven years, supported by solar generation, a 60kWh home battery and vehicle-to-grid technology which allows an electric vehicle to power the house. He worked with Open Eco Homes, which provides advice and guidance on retrofitting.
Paul now volunteers with Cambridge Retrofit Hub and gives talks to residents and contractors about energy efficiency techniques, ensuring homes are well insulated in the winter to help reduce household bills. And with UK temperature records being broken repeatedly this summer, he has also recently given a series of talks with advice about summer shading and cooling to help reduce indoor temperatures.
Ian Sollom, MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, alongside the Liberal Democrats, is calling on the Government to help people make their homes more efficient by introducing an energy-saving homes scheme to identify the most effective combination of tax incentives, loans and grants, together with advice and support.
The party is also calling for the Government to bring in a 10-year emergency upgrade programme, starting with free insulation and heat pumps for those on low incomes, and ensure that all new homes are built to a zero-carbon standard.
Ian said: “I was really impressed with Paul’s house and the retrofit and sustainability measures he has put in place. His commitment to sharing his knowledge and helping others make their homes more sustainable is truly inspiring. His experience has made him a strong advocate for higher standards, better training and stronger consumer protection within the retrofit and heat pump sectors
“But I know it wasn’t an easy or inexpensive task and the Government needs to do much more to help people make their homes energy efficient by introducing the energy-saving homes scheme to find the most effective combination of tax incentives, loans and grants, together with advice and support.
“It is also vital that if the UK is to meet the 2050 energy targets, we must ensure more people have the skills that the construction industry needs and that these are of a good standard.”
Paul Kershaw said: “The work took a few years to complete. The biggest instant payback is having a much healthier home, which instantly improves our quality of life, and zero bills thanks to energy efficiency measures.
“I was able to access some grants early on, but there are a lot of cowboys out there who take advantage of the government money. There’s currently a government consultation into Reforming Consumer Protection for Home Upgrade Schemes and I intend to send a report about how the complaint process for heat pump installations is completely unsuitable, hoping to improve the compliance of installers and their understanding of the importance of efficiency for those who come after us early adopters.”
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