English Heritage report claims older buildings could fight climate change

According to statistics, houses built in England before 1919 account for approximately 5% of all the country’s carbon emissions.

The organisation claims that the sensitive re-use or improvement of existing buildings could play a crucial part in meeting energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband's pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

Interim Chairman of English Heritage, Sir Barry Cunliffe, said: “The nation's built heritage is a finite and precious resource and we must recognise that the re-use and recycling of older buildings is both responsible and sustainable.

"Although some older homes are currently less energy efficient than some newer ones, solutions do exist to make them more energy efficient. Rising to this challenge, however, demands care. We need to develop and share approaches that avoid unnecessary damage to the special value and qualities of the historic environment. More Government policies that work towards changing human behaviour in energy use are also necessary because that is the area that will make the crucial difference."

The Heritage Counts report is published by English Heritage on behalf of the Historic Environment Review Executive Committee and the Regional Historic Environment Forums.