The UK has a second housing crisis - our cold and leaky homes.

clock • 5 min read

A much-needed retrofit revolution is possible if the right financial support is introduced for households, writes Onward's Alex Luke

It is no great secret that the UK's housing stock is not exactly in perfect condition. More than a fifth are over a hundred years old, and just one quarter were built within the last 40 years. Our houses...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Buildings

Are energy efficiency rules about to make commercial buildings in England's major cities 'unlettable'?
Buildings

Are energy efficiency rules about to make commercial buildings in England's major cities 'unlettable'?

Commercial landlords claim they have been left 'in the dark and out in the cold' by a lack of clarity on proposed new energy efficiency standards

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 04 February 2026 • 9 min read
Where next for the UK's heat pump roll out?
Buildings

Where next for the UK's heat pump roll out?

Subsidised heat pumps have already helped thousands of Brits warm to the clean energy transition - but two new reports show how doubling down on cost and convenience will be vital if more people are to embrace green heating

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 28 January 2026 • 11 min read
'A new standard': World's largest Passivhaus school cuts energy use in half in first year
Buildings

'A new standard': World's largest Passivhaus school cuts energy use in half in first year

Built by BAM UK and Ireland for Fife Council, Scotland's latest Passivhaus-certified building opened in Autumn 2024 bringing together 2,700 students from two schools

Amber Rolt
clock 27 January 2026 • 2 min read