WWF Scotland and the British Lung Foundation Scotland want energy efficient homes
Two charities have joined forces to call for investment to make homes energy efficient.
In the week Scotland’s newest bridge, the Queensferry Crossing, opens to traffic, campaigners are setting out the benefits of another big infrastructure project that they say would help to create a more socially-just and low-carbon future.
Environmental organisation WWF Scotland and health charity the British Lung Foundation Scotland believe future Scottish Government infrastructure investment should be channelled into projects that will benefit the whole country, while also creating green jobs, boosting the economy and improving the nation’s health.
An example being put forward is for the Scottish Government to set a target in the forthcoming Climate Change Bill to ensure everyone in Scotland is living in a warm and healthy home by 2025, reaching the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C. One in three households are currently living in fuel poverty.
Irene Johnstone, head of the British Lung Foundation in Scotland said: “The Scottish Government needs to increase its emphasis on preventing poor lung health.
“We know cold, damp and mouldy homes cause illnesses, including lung disease, which places additional strain on our health and social services. Therefore it’s clear that improving the condition of Scotland’s homes is a key component to the overall preventative healthcare agenda.”
Sarah Beattie-Smith, senior climate and energy policy officer at WWF Scotland said: “The Scottish Government made a welcome commitment to make energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority back in 2015 but that commitment lacks the necessary funding, targets and delivery body to make it a reality.
“Without the money and the detail, the government’s commitment on energy efficiency is like committing to building a bridge without saying where it’s going. That’s why it’s so important that the Scottish Government uses the upcoming Climate Change Bill to embed new legal targets on energy efficiency, including getting all homes to an EPC rating of C by 2025.”
