Buildings are responsible for around 30 per cent of our national emissions, and I know the Government recognises that upgrading home energy performance is crucial if we are to meet net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the UK economy by 2050.
I welcome the publication of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, which signals a step change in improving the energy efficiency of our buildings and how we heat them, while also supporting 175,000 green skilled jobs by 2030 and 240,000 green skilled jobs by 2035 while delivering £6 billion additional GVA by 2030.
The strategy announced the Government's ambition that by 2035, no new gas boilers will be sold. All new heating systems installed in UK homes will either use low-carbon technologies, such as electric heat pumps, or will support new technologies like hydrogen-ready boilers, in line with the natural replacement cycle, and once costs of low carbon alternatives have come down.
In addition, as included in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government set out its aspiration for as many homes as possible to be Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2035 where cost effective, affordable and practical, and to reach this standard by 2030 for fuel poor homes. To achieve this, it will need to mobilise up to £65 billion for upgrades, which will put us on a path to net zero, significantly reduce household energy bills, and improve our health and wellbeing. It will also create new opportunities for the energy efficiency sector, currently the largest part of the low carbon and renewable energy economy.
Work is underway to build a vibrant and sustainable market through introducing a suite of policies and measures that will drive uptake of energy efficiency.
