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COP26 – New report reveals extensive public support for building renovation
The global public’s appetite for energy-saving domestic solutions is sky-rocketing higher than ever, according to research.
And as the world’s major leaders conclude the game-changing COP26 in Glasgow, there’s never been a better time to make a difference in the race to save our planet.
New data reveals that over three-quarters of us (79 per cent) would renovate our homes to make them more energy efficient – if adequate financial and administrative support is available.
And over seven in ten (73 per cent) say they support mandatory energy efficiency improvements as the world rallies round protecting the environment.
Over six in ten (62 per cent) believe it is their social responsibility to make their homes climate-friendly – if support was available – with a new report released today by ROCKWOOL Group and Cambridge Econometrics revealing the intriguing findings.
The global, first-of-its-kind survey engaged with 14,000 people Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States and Jens Birgersson, ROCKWOOL Group CEO, is urging the world to stand up and take notice.
He said: “It may be a cliché, but it is also true – the cheapest, cleanest and safest energy is that which we do not use.
“Global leaders have to remember that ideas are cheap, but energy is expensive.
“If we prioritise renovation, we send a clear message that we are investing in the future of people and our planet. And that is a winning formula that we can act on now.”
The new data forms part of a report by Cambridge Econometrics on behalf of ROCKWOOL Group, which details the challenges to funding renovation programmes and explores the solutions to help overcome them.
In the report ‘Unlocking the Benefits of Building Renovation’, ROCKWOOL and Cambridge Econometrics urge policymakers to develop the long-term renovation programmes that manufacturers need to plan production capacity and properly train more installers, team up with banks to combine public grants and low-interest loans, as well as make it easier for households to apply for subsidies and find qualified workers.
Jon Stenning, Associate Director at Cambridge Econometrics, said: “Renovating the built environment is a key challenge on the road to decarbonising our economies.
“The consumer poll carried out for this report shows that there is substantial consumer appetite for retrofitting, but that much more must be done to match up financing with renovation projects.
“Well-designed policy can play a major role in bringing the whole value chain together, ensuring that resources are well-targeted and help to build up capacity and interest at a local level to ensure that the benefits of energy retrofits can be realised”.
The report stresses the need for governments to do more to make already-available funding accessible to building owners.
This is a clear priority in the eyes of homeowners, with over half (51 per cent) citing costs as the main barrier to renovating, and a similar number (53 per cent) believing that governments need to support home improvements with grants or loans.
Birgersson added: “Money is not the problem. While there will always be a debate about the costs of climate action – and hopefully also about the costs of inaction – the fact is that there is plenty of money available for building renovations and other green investments. And renovation itself is not rocket science. It requires using well-known materials and building practices, and that is a big advantage. The issue is connecting the funding sources with the on-the-ground projects, and ensuring we have the skilled workforce in place.”
