The recognised trade association for the external wall insulation industry and close SWIGA partners INCA are marking the start of the new calendar year with the launch of its 3 Core Messages which call on the Government to optimise the effectiveness of their vital nationwide retrofit programme.
 
The Insulated Render and Cladding Association is rallying for significant retrofit programme change that will support the UK Government’s energy security and carbon reduction strategy to meet NZC targets by 2050.
 
External wall insulation is regarded as one of the most effective ways to thermally upgrade existing buildings or to construct new buildings with energy efficiency in mind and INCA has represented this sector for more than 40 years. Its membership is made up of system designers, specialist installers and key component suppliers. Together, their products and systems provide the benefits of EWI use spanning retrofit initiatives, social housing as well as new build projects. The focus of the association is to promote technical excellence, high quality and best practice throughout the EWI industry. 

The Government has a target to reach net zero by 2050 and, meeting this target means that we need to ensure that the current UK housing stock (some 27 million dwellings) are all carbon neutral by 2050. The challenge lies, not so much in how well we build new homes, but in how we best improve existing dwellings which is why the Government is investing heavily in domestic retrofit projects at scale.

As we enter election year it's important that we don't lose the political focus on these objectives and it's also important that the industry work closely with key stakeholders to get the most out of this investment in improving the energy efficiency of the existing UK housing stock. And this is why INCA has launched its trio of ‘calls to action’ to optimise the delivery of an even more effective nationwide retrofit programme.
 
In 2024, INCA is calling on the Government to:
 
1: Prioritise a focus on the Fabric First approach:
Prioritise the energy efficiency of a building envelope over all other energy efficiency measures to maximise the positive impact of all current and future retrofit programmes to 2050.
 
2: Simplify PAS 2035 AND ECO4:
INCA supports the continued simplification and reduction in administrative restrictions to deliver retrofit efficiently and at scale but without compromising quality, compliance or risk.
 
3: Bring in continuity of funding obligations:
INCA supports the increase of funding timescales from the current four years to a minimum of eight years to head off peaks and troughs between obligations.
 
Further details are available on the INCA website or the document can be downloaded via the link below:

INCA Three Core Messages >>>

John Sparrow, Executive Director of INCA, said:
 

“We believe taking action on this trifecta of core messages will bring investment into the EWI sector and scale up the delivery of efficient, optimised retrofit systems and processes to make the Government’s Net Zero Carbon goal achievable.
“We’re calling on the Government and key sector stakeholders to support our trio of Core Messages. EWI as a Fabric First approach sits at the heart of it, creating greatest bill savings and carbon reduction. When it comes to simplification of PAS 2035 and ECO4, current ECO figures suggest that well under 50p in the £ is spent on the home because of the administrative costs associated. Simplification can increase delivery and lower costs. And a funding cycle of eight years for programmes, instead of four, heads off an uneconomical stop/start approach as well as creating greater employment and opportunities in our sector. 
“These three Core Messages together will help ensure residents can benefit from warmer and more energy efficient homes, pivotal in a cost of living crisis, and businesses can operate in buildings with robust energy efficiency performance certificates thanks to the benefits of EWI.”