RIBA President Simon Allford said:
“As people and businesses grapple with soaring inflation and surging energy prices prompting major fears about heating homes this winter, Liz Truss has a colossal task on her hands.
While some form of immediate relief is clearly vital, Truss must also prioritise long term energy efficiency improvements. This includes protecting funding for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and implementing a National Retrofit Strategy to significantly reduce home energy consumption and create thousands of jobs across the country.
Building safety and planning reforms cannot fall to the wayside. Truss must also prioritise embedding clear, robust building safety and accessibility requirements into regulations, properly resourcing planning departments, and ensuring long overdue planning reforms deliver the types of high quality homes we need.
This is an opportunity for the government to refocus and prioritise. Buildings are critical to our quality of life and wellbeing. Everyone deserves a comfortable, safe, and sustainable home, and architects are uniquely placed to deliver that reality. We will be engaging with the Prime Minister and her government immediately.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Media contact: Isabel.Campbell@riba.org, 020 7307 3763
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates.
