Earlier this month, architects and campaigners led a march on the Houses of Parliament demanding the Government take action on energy efficiency and low carbon heating in homes.

A coalition of 25 organisations led by the Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) and the New Economics Foundation (NEF), met on the steps of Whitehall to rally for retrofit, and delivered a letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, ahead of the spring statement.

The letter calls for an £11.7 billion ‘Great Homes Upgrade’ to combat fuel poverty, tackle the climate crisis and end dependence on fossil fuels.

The sum was chosen as it is the same amount as the estimated cost being spent to refurbish the Houses of Parliament.

The additional public investment would advance home insulation measures, such as loft insulation, and provide low-carbon heating technology like air source heat pumps.

The protesters say that we need public investment to bring every home in the UK to a good standard of energy efficiency by 2030.

Around 80 people gathered for the march in Parliament Square where a minute’s silence was held for victims of military action in Ukraine.

“A national retrofit strategy based on improving the fabric of our buildings is essential. Without this, more people will be plunged into fuel poverty and the UK will not meet its legally binding targets to reduce emissions.”

Sara Edmonds, ACAN Coordinator