, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Just one final thing on use of data, which is that the energy companies themselves already use smart meters to analyse where vulnerable citizens might be a cause of concern. So, for example, a housebound person who suddenly is not using energy might be an…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
What we do know is that fuel poverty is concentrated in the private rented sector, and also rural properties, which are largely off grid. So, that's what we know in terms of that's where we need to be focusing, recognising there is still some fuel poverty in…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Or indeed rent.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Or rent them.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
So, you wouldn't, at this stage, go for having a similar regulation to the gas certificates and the electric certificates people have to have before they sell the house.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
So, in parallel, really.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Okay. Just moving on to the idea of whole house assessment and building renovation passports for all homes in Wales—that was strongly advocated by Chris Jofeh earlier in this morning's session—how do you think this should be undertaken and by whom? And is…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Okay, and certification would presumably be the other thing that would reassure people.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 2
Just picking up on the resistance of individuals to engage with all this—we've all heard the stories of snake-oil salesmen, promising something it doesn't deliver—do you think that free advice for all citizens by a not-for-profit organisation, whether it's an…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay. Thank you for that. I think Janet was going to pick up on these very issues.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay, but in the context of the highest energy prices we've ever experienced, we, at the moment, do not have a programme. So, what can we do very quickly to rectify this situation?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay, but that's what the optimised retrofit programme is supposed to be doing, isn't it? We keep on being told that we're waiting for the outcomes of that before we can move forward on the next iteration.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
We've built quite a lot of innovative housing funded by Welsh Government in the last six to eight years, are you saying that that work hasn't already been done on analysing the performance of these innovative homes?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Thank you. Chris.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Donal.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay, fine. Chris or Donal.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay. We've already got the Audit Wales report, which is pretty critical. I'm really keen to understand what you think needs to be in the new Warm Homes programme.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Money is one thing, I'm keen to understand what you want to see in it in terms of the approach, the strategy. What's the strategy that should be in the Warm Homes programme, the one we don't have at the moment?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay, so just broadening out the issue a bit further, which is, really: what do you want to see in the new Warm Homes programme, when we get it? Who would like to go first? Shall I start with Rhiannon, as you've not spoken recently?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
To some extent, because, obviously, what I've heard elsewhere when looking into this is that if you don't have the insulation then it leads to disaster, because electricity bills just go through the roof, because you're just heating the birds—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Okay, but installing heat pumps in new properties is a breeze compared with retrofitting. Surely, the issue is, once you've got your heat pump working, how do you then transmit it unless you completely change the ways in which you get that heat pump operating…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Thank you for that. I just want to move on to heat pumps, because we're taking evidence from Nesta later on this morning. They are particularly keen on promoting heat pumps and even to install heat pumps—clearly, they're saying in those that are well…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Decarbonising the private housing sector - evidence session 1
Can I just pick up on a point that Chris made: this getting the companies to target their ECO funding? So, would you include no-fines properties, where there's no cavity insulation, as an area that we ought to be directing ECO funding at?
