Decarbonising Homes - A Draft Strategy for Cornwall

Please complete our short survey to give your views on the Housing Decarbonisation Strategy. This survey will close on 16 September 2024.

The draft strategy looks at how to improve energy efficiency and cut emissions in our homes. We have a legal duty to decarbonise as set out in the Climate Change Act 2008 (legislation.gov.uk). The Climate Change Action Plan 2019, included a Carbon Neutral Homes Programme setting out the Council's aim to move faster and A Climate Emergency DPD, was adopted in February 2023 introducing new, supportive planning policies. This draft strategy will be key to delivering on these aims.

Homes in Cornwall contribute over 20% of total emissions. We know that over 90% of them will need some form of retrofitting to meet our carbon neutral ambitions. Cornish housing is less energy efficient compared to the rest of the UK and the Southwest so we have some catching up to do!

The University of Exeter examined evidence and data on Cornwall Housing stock giving us the basis for the draft strategy. They found that emissions from heating and hot water are persistent, with no decline over the past 10 years. In fact, fuel combustion emissions are increasing in Cornwall.

By adopting a strategy we can identify ways to reduce emissions from Cornish housing. It will give us the evidence we need to react quickly to all funding opportunities (public or private). In turn, this will allow us to deliver housing quality improvements and will provide focus for collaborative working to achieve shared goals.

As the draft strategy has developed it confirmed the need to find a solution for all. We must ensure that no one is left behind and that positive health and long-term financial benefits are for everyone. To do this we must be able to offer the right advice and guidance to build trust in retrofit suppliers and technology. Helping residents to help themselves, will support growth in the green economy by and improving skills, training and employment we can help close supply chain gaps and attract new suppliers to Cornwall.

We invite you to review the draft Housing Decarbonisation strategy. It suggests short, medium and long-term actions and sets out our key principles, targets and a ‘road map'. This will help us plan and progress housing decarbonisation measures in Cornwall.

• Please note the questions in this survey are intended to invite feedback on the detail of the strategy. You do not need to answer every question. Feel free to respond only to the questions that you consider most relevant to you.

Privacy Notice 

We will use the information you provide to help us plan and progress housing decarbonisation measures in Cornwall.

The Data Controller for the information you provide in this survey is Cornwall Council, New County Hall, Treyew Road, Truro TR1 3AY. Data Protection Registration Number: Z1745294. Once the survey has closed, your data will be held within Cornwall Council’s secure network and premises for up to 2 years. Where we ask you to supply personal data on this form, we will only make access to this data available to authorised members of staff who are required to process it for the purposes outlined in this privacy notice. Please note that other information you provide, such as responses to open questions, may be published in full.