The Forum for Better Homes NI held an event in Stormont earlier this week to bring together policymakers and experts from across the housing sector to discuss how we decarbonise our existing homes in Northern Ireland.

Caption: David Honeyford MLA, Colin Crawford MLA, Alan Ritchie former Chair RSUA Climate Emergency Committee, Philip Brett MLA, David Little Chair Forum for Better Homes NI, Gavin McGuire NI Director Federation of Master Builders, Jenny Burnside Northern Ireland Ambassador Lloyds Banking Group, Carol McTaggart Group CEO Clanmil Homes

The draft Programme for Government includes a commitment to “deliver an ambitious programme decarbonising all housing stock in NI”, which “includes reducing carbon emissions in existing and new homes”.  This includes facilitating the retrofitting of existing housing stock through sustainable funding and partnership models to help meet the net zero 2050 target”. The proposed domestic retrofit programme has several aims:

• • addressing fuel poverty to help our communities
  • decarbonising our homes
  • reducing emissions from the residential sector
  • supporting green jobs for economic growth.

There is also a reference to the Executive’s efforts to seek “Treasury agreement for appropriate treatment of borrowing to enable the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) to increase investment in its homes, improve energy efficiency, and contribute to new supply”.

Speaking at the event, David Little Chair of the Forum said:

“We welcome the focus on homes in the recently published draft Programme for Government. The commitment to deliver an ambitious programme decarbonising all housing stock in NI is crucial. But the housing sector needs certainty on how this is going to happen. There must be more detail set out in the finalised programme about how this will be achieved.

“The Forum for Better Homes NI will be responding to the consultation on the draft Programme for Government to set out our thoughts on how the NI Executive can provide certainty for the housing industry.”

Jenny Burnside, Northern Ireland Ambassador for Lloyds Banking Group and Forum member stated: “At Lloyds Banking Group, we’re committed to working with government and partners to help our customers make their homes more energy efficient. Since 2022, we’ve provided £9.1bn of green mortgages across the UK. We’re delighted to work with the Forum and the Executive to help deliver sustainable homes across Northern Ireland.”