Lofts are Labour’s cash in the attic – let’s insulate to accumulate
4 min read
Why is it that we have the least well-insulated homes in Western Europe? Well, the reasons are many, but one place to look is up.
We all know that loft insulation is essential – it’s cheap and effective, and it makes a home more comfortable, as a cold ceiling can make you feel chilly even if the air is warm. But here in the UK, lofts aren’t just there keeping the rain off and the warmth in – around 80 per cent of us fill our lofts with storage.
I remember moving into our first proper family home and finding, to my delight, that the loft had been boarded by a previous occupant. To my frustration, however, the DIY storage was directly on top of the rafters. I could kiss goodbye to the idea of the recommended 300mm of insulation! There was perhaps 100mm of fibreglass under there and the Christmas tree was going to have to do the rest. I’m sure I’m not alone.
But this really matters. I’ve been in the thick of the energy debate for the past 20 years and one thing has always been crystal clear: whatever we do to decarbonise our energy system, the first step has always been to reduce demand. And that means getting insulation right. The sad truth is that most UK homes need their insulation replacing. Storing belongings on top of insulation compresses it, and typically reduces its thermal resistance by at least 50 per cent, as well as decreasing its lifespan.
It doesn’t have to be this way. On this occasion, we actually can have our cake and eat it. Lofts can be well-insulated and also provide that precious storage space – by incorporating the simple technology of insulation protection. Insulation protection provides a structurally safe system to support the solid deck above the loft insulation, enabling the insulation to work effectively. We recently moved out of that house with a scantily clad loft and into one with modern insulation. With insulation protection we now also have a large area of storage, and we love it!
The sad truth is that most UK homes need their insulation replacing
The last Labour government recognised the need to address our draughty homes, as demonstrated by Gordon Brown’s scheme to train an army of loft insulators and draught-proofers, and the introduction of the Warm Front Scheme. But insulation protection was not a focus of the scheme, and as a result both the uptake and the impact were lessened. This is a lesson we should learn from an age when the science and practice of human factors was far less well-developed than it is today.
As we look to the energy transition, the end-user must be our guiding star. Everything we do to decarbonise heat in buildings needs to be orientated around the occupants. As we design the Warm Homes Plan, acknowledging the human factors and listening to ordinary people will be essential, and we should be looking to simple and affordable solutions like insulation protection to build a lasting impact.
The National Warm Homes Council, a collection of British SMEs committed to slashing household bills and improving energy efficiency within homes, has welcomed the need to focus on affordable, accessible solutions within the Warm Homes Plan. It is a bright sign that collaboration can deliver comfortable and energy efficient homes as an essential component of the government’s broader strategy to combat fuel poverty and tackle climate change.
By adopting simple and affordable solutions to keep the heat from escaping our roofs, we will avoid fuelling a perpetual cycle of installing and replacing loft insulation at a continued cost to families, landlords and housing associations. Certainly, rolling out a massive retrofitting scheme across the UK without including loft insulation protection would literally be like throwing good money after bad.
As we drive forward the Warm Homes Plan and decarbonise homes across the UK, we should be doing everything possible to encourage loft insulation protection. And as a government of partnership, we are not alone. By tapping into the burgeoning SME industry to deliver across the UK, we can not only work to reduce carbon emissions but also contribute to our mission for sustainable and resilient growth.
Cash in the attic is a quick win. As our mission for national renewal sees us setting ambitious goals for decarbonisation, let’s set a few lofty ones too.
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