MPs gathered at a reception hosted by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Sustainable Energy Association (SEA) at Westminster’s Portcullis House on 3 June to discuss developing a vision for energy in buildings.

This has the potential to accelerate the transition to a competitive, energy efficient, low carbon economy. The lack of a clear strategy for energy in buildings is costing the UK economy more than £12bn a year.

Five cross party speakers, including Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and the Rt Hon. The Lord Deben, spoke in support of a focus on energy in buildings as an effective way of dealing with the ‘energy trilemma’ of energy security, affordable energy for businesses and all energy users and carbon reduction targets.

A Cost Effective Energy Measures bill has been proposed, which would compel the Government to commission a White Paper promoting the more efficient use of energy. By making energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority, the Government could boost GDP by £13.9bn by 2030 and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

CIBSE president of CIBSE, Nick Mead, said: 'We are very keen to support the principles of the Cost Effective Energy Measures bill, which asks for an energy demand strategy fit for purpose in the 21st century. Many of the current policies on power generation, energy efficiency and waste are relics of the last century and fail to take into account advances in technology in the built environment, costing the country billions.'

He continued: 'Of particular concern is the energy performance in buildings, which is too often much lower than what was promised at the design stage, costing far more in operation by wasting energy. It is vital that correcting this deficiency is made a national priority by the Government, by acting on the recommendations in the White Paper this bill mandates.'