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After dissecting the latest English Housing Survey, we take a deep dive into the energy efficiency of the English housing stock 2019-2020.

1. Making strides

The energy efficiency of English homes has improved in the last decade.

The proportion of dwellings in the highest energy efficiency rating bands of A to C, increased from 12% in 2009 to 40% in 2019, 47% were in band D (44% in 2009), 10% in band E (32% in 2009) and 3% in bands F or G (12% in 2009).

Domestic heating will play a big part in reducing overall carbon emissions as part of achieving net zero by 2050.

2. Traditional systems

Traditional heating systems were most common in English Homes.

Most (90%) of English homes have a boiler system with radiators as their main heating system. Such systems were more prevalent in owner occupied dwellings (94%) than local authority (89%), private rented (83%) and housing association (83%) dwellings.

However, more recent technology such as heat pumps are still being utilised within dwellings, with 103,000 having a heat pump in 2019. Heat pumps have the potential to provide heating using less energy than traditional methods.

3. A divided country

Between 2009 and 2019, the energy efficiency of homes improved in all regions at different rates.

The South East had the largest percentage point increase (32) of A to C rated dwellings, from 13% in 2009 to 45% in 2019. Dwellings in the East Midlands had the largest fall (12 percentage points) in the proportion of F and G rated dwellings over the 10-year period (from 15% to 3%).

4. All adds up

Improving dwellings to a band C energy efficiency rating came at a cost.

Overall, it would cost less than £10,000 to improve over two thirds of dwellings (69%) to a band C, and about £15,000 or more to improve 11% of dwellings.

However, the fuel cost savings are significant. For those dwellings that were able to be improved to an energy efficiency rating band C, the average fuel cost savings were £298 per year.

Owner occupied dwellings had the highest average fuel cost saving at £324, followed by private rented dwellings, at £279. The average fuel cost savings for local authority and housing association dwellings were lower, at £162 and £167 respectively.

5. Let it breathe

In 2019, around 2% or 455,000 dwellings had serious damp problems.

Indoor air quality has been a prominent subject recently and adequate ventilation is a key component in providing good indoor air quality and preventing damp.

Dwellings with inadequate room or appliance ventilation (14%) were markedly more likely to experience serious damp problems than those with adequate ventilation (2%).

Read more about environmental as well as social and governance issues that are shaping the property market .

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