Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to support embodied carbon reduction through the reuse and retrofit of existing buildings.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National design planning practice guidance highlights that reusing and adapting buildings can reduce embodied carbon emissions and waste, and lower resource consumption while improving energy performance.
Through the Warm Homes Plan, we are investing £15 billion to upgrade up to 5 million homes, helping to cut bills, lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030, and create good jobs across the country.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to climate change mitigation, including taking opportunities to re-use existing structures and materials. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the reuse and retrofitting of existing buildings as a lower carbon alternative to demolition and new build construction.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department recognises that the reuse and retrofitting of existing buildings can offer significant carbon benefits compared to demolition and new build, by avoiding emissions associated with new materials and construction. Improving the efficiency of existing homes and buildings, currently responsible for around one-fifth of UK emissions, is key to reducing energy demand, cutting bills and supporting energy security.
Through the Warm Homes Plan the Government is prioritising upgrades to existing buildings including insulation, solar panels, batteries and low-carbon heating, alongside reforms to standards and advice to support high quality retrofit. New development will continue to play a role, and the Government has recently published the Future Homes Standard to ensure that new homes and non-domestic buildings are built with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency.