AQO 2561/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 30/09/2021
Answered On Date: 19/10/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on the work her Department is undertaking in partnership with the Department for the Economy to prepare for the retrofitting of around 50,000 homes per annum to make them energy efficient.

Answer:

Research commissioned by the Department for the Economy has identified the need for a significant step change in the scale of funding for retrofit support across our building stock. This is required to reduce energy demand to allow us to deliver our net zero carbon emissions commitment.

No one should underestimate the size of this task. Separate research commissioned by the Housing Executive estimates that nearly 600,000 homes would need significant improvements to get to a SAP band B. The estimated cost of this is £9.2 billion.

The Department of Economy’s Energy Strategy options consultation, which closed on 2 July, included a proposal for a pilot domestic retrofit scheme. This would launch in 2022 and inform a substantive new domestic retrofit scheme. Colleagues in that Department tell me that work is underway on the pilot scheme. The initial focus is on putting the necessary governance structures in place and scoping out the parameters of the pilot.

My officials are working closely with DfE and other key stakeholders as the pilot scheme is developed. In order to ensure the pilot is well-informed and complements existing energy efficiency and fuel poverty support schemes.