Decarbonizing national housing stocks: Strategies, barriers and measurement

Many nations have set tough targets for reducing the CO2 emissions of their building stocks. The Building Research Information special issue titled 'Climate Change: National Building Stocks' (2007) (volume 35, number 4) describes policy instruments, stock management approaches, and energy supply strategies proposed in a number of counties. Two contrasting propositions for reducing emissions from the UK's housing stock, both based on modelling studies, are discussed in this commentary. One is based on extensive stock management, including increased demolition rates, rigorous energy-efficiency measures, embedded renewable energy generation, and a supportive population. The other is based on the multiplication of more modest improvements in all these areas together with decarbonization of the central electricity supply. Broader sustainability considerations cast doubt on the merits of increased demolition rates, and studies using measured data demonstrate the complex interactions that can occur between embedded energy conversion technologies and the energy supply infrastructure. The commentary highlights some of the barriers to achieving deep cuts in emissions from housing stocks. These need to be examined closely in future research. Equally importantly, there is a need for extensive nationwide monitoring campaigns in order to plan decarbonizing strategies properly and to assess their impact.