RIBA has reacted to the announcement of Liz Truss as Conservative leader and the UK’s new Prime Minister, by saying that it’s essential that she focuses on energy efficiency improvements for the long-term to tackle the imminent economic and energy crisis the country is facing.
RIBA president Simon Allford commented that while “some form of immediate relief” for customers from rising energy prices is “clearly vital,” Truss “must also prioritise long term energy efficiency improvements.” He said this should include “protecting funding for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and implementing a National Retrofit Strategy to significantly reduce home energy consumption.”
Allford warned, however: “Building safety and planning reforms cannot fall to the wayside. Truss must also prioritise embedding clear, robust building safety and accessibility requirements into regulations, properly resourcing planning departments, and ensuring long overdue planning reforms deliver the types of high quality homes we need.”
He said that her election did offer “an opportunity for the Government to refocus and prioritise,” and that with architects “uniquely placed to deliver safe, comfortable and sustainable homes,” RIBA “will be engaging with the Prime Minister and her government immediately.”
Allford concluded: “As people and businesses grapple with soaring inflation and surging energy prices prompting major fears about heating homes this winter, Liz Truss has a colossal task on her hands.”