Domestic
The residential sector consumes about 16% of UK fossil fuel and emits around 15% of CO2
Consumption is dominated by gas (70%) and electricity (22%). Reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions in existing dwellings is a major challenge for this sector - housing stock is expected to increase from around 25 million to over 31 million by 2050.
Significant report findings - Domestic
- It is essential to radically reduce heat losses from existing housing through greatly improved insulation. Heat recovery from ventilation will offer valuable reductions in carbon emissions.
- Renewable heat applications using biomass and solar energy will substantially help to reduce CO2 emissions.
- Biomass-fuelled community heating and CHP schemes for existing and new higher-density housing offers significant reductions in CO2.
- The adoption of more efficient lighting and appliances provides a significant reduction in consumption of electricity in this sector.
- Air source heat pumps in existing homes offer worthwhile CO2 reductions, particularly after 2025 when electricity will be largely decarbonised.
- Small-scale domestic CHP is unlikely to offer useful CO2 reductions even as a transitional measure.
Required areas for further work in the domestic sector.
Summary Points (819 KB)
Links
Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford
Bookmarks
