What is retrofitting?
Retrofitting is the process of upgrading a building with features that make it more energy efficient. Examples include installing loft or wall insulation, or installing double- or triple-glazed windows.
What is an EPC rating?
Whenever a property is built, sold or rented out in England and Wales, it must be assessed for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This rates a home on a scale from A-G at how efficient it is: the better the rating, the less expensive it likely is to run and heat. It is illegal to privately let a property that has an EPC rating below E.
There are 19 million homes in the UK that don't meet the basic "C" energy efficiency rating of a C, with some areas having bigger concentrations of inefficient homes than others.
What have the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party called for?
The Labour Party have already announced plans to retrofit the 19 million homes which fall below EPC grade C.
They plan to invest £6billion a year for 10 years to reach that target, with grants provided to low-income households, while those who can afford it will receive low-interest loans.
This national could create up to 500,000 jobs, save households £400 a year, and massively cut carbon emissions from buildings.
How does the #CantWaitToInsulate search tool work?
The Government publishes the EPC ratings of new and existing homes in England and Wales quarterly on their website, with breakdowns by local authority. We have made the past 5 years of this data postcode searchable, so people can see how many homes in their area don’t meet the grade
The original data can be found here.
Unfortunately due to the differences in data used in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the tool currently works for addresses in England and Wales only.