Environmental legislation needs 'trigger point' for more energy-efficient measures

The UK's environmental legislation needs to tap into what people in the country are most concerned about in order to encourage the uptake of energy-efficient home improvements, it has been said.

Gordon Miller, sustainability and communications director at Sustain Worldwide, has stated that there are a number of reasons why householders are holding back from improving energy-saving measures in their properties.

Therefore, Mr Miller suggested more should be done to find their "'trigger point' that will see them engage with the debate and act".

He noted that people could be motivated by financial incentives, environmental goals or making the world a better place for their children to grow up in.

His comments follow research from the Department for Communities and Local Government, which revealed the average Code for Sustainable Homes and average energy efficiency (SAP ratings) earlier this week.

The statistics showed that there has been an increase in the average SAP rating from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the same period in 2010 in England from 80.2 to 81.7, indicating that environmental legislation is encouraging more people to improve energy-efficient measures in their homes.

Posted by Lauren Steadman