Developing regulation of energy efficiency of private sector housing (REEPS): modelling improvements to the target stock - Research Summary

Individual measures

The presence of energy saving features, the location of a dwelling, and whether a dwelling is on the gas grid are important factors in determining the applicability of improvement measures and assessing their relative effectiveness in improving energy efficiency. There is a high degree of variability across the different improvement measures in terms of their relative impact in improving energy efficiency. Some measures were cost effective but had little impact on SAP rating; certain measures were expensive yet have little impact on SAP rating.

Individual measures were modelled for all dwellings where they were possible to implement and where they would potentially increase the SAP rating. Among the 38 improvement measures, nine improvement measures had a payback period of less than three years, though these varied in the size of their impact. Those with the shortest payback period were adding a hot water tank jacket, low energy light bulbs, switching electricity tariff, loft insulation, and installing thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs).