According to research by Schneider Electric, 90 per cent of the UK’s building stock will need to be digitally retrofitted to achieve net-zero.
The finding from an independent survey of 850 key business decision-makers in the United Kingdom and Ireland in September 2021 is included in the company’s Powering Change Report which also calls for more consideration to be given to how existing buildings operate and new buildings are built.
Significantly, the report’s authors highlight the slow adoption of new technologies as a significant barrier to progress being made in achieving net-zero ambitions, with only third (32.9%) of businesses surveyed having adopted energy-efficient equipment in the workplace, and only a third (32.8%) having switched to a clean and renewable energy supplier.
To help incentivise further uptake of these technologies, Schneider proposes changes to existing procurement laws to disallow unsustainable features from being included in new construction projects even after they have been approved by planners, and a renewed focus on saving energy and alleviating fuel poverty within the residential building market.
Download the report at //www.se.com/uk/en/download/document/SE11877/.
