Carbon Emissions: Buildings

(asked on 29th May 2026) - View Source

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 Portrait
Martin McCluskey
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This question was answered on 8th June 2026

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.

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