"Healthy Homes and the Role of Refurbishment" top of the agenda at the NHIC

LABC supported the NHIC (The National Home Improvement Council) debate hosted by President Rt Hon Baroness Maddock in Parliament yesterday. Entitled healthy Homes and the Role of Refurbishment, the debate looked at what needs to be done to raise awareness and standards to ensure UK homes are healthy, safe and efficient.

Chaired by NHIC Chairman and LABC's Chief Executive Paul Everall CBE, speeches were given by Jim Shannon MP, APPG Healthy Homes Chair, and also included talks by joint LABC Chief Executive Lorna Stimpson, Simon Storer, Chief Executive at IMA (Insulation Manufacturers Association), alongside Lords Rt Hon Andrew Stunell, and Rt Hon John Shipley and Cllr Jason Zadrozny, leader of Ashfield District Council.

Commenting on the debate, Anna Scothern, NHIC Chief Executive said before the event: "We are so pleased to be able to host this debate in Parliament.

"This debate has underlined that fact continues the important work of getting the refurbishment of our nation's homes onto the political agenda."

Simon Storer said "Everyone has a right to live in a healthy home with better insulation, better ventilation, windows and doors and more efficient heating systems.

"And yet, to date, nobody in government has provided a financial model alongside regulation and legislation that is attractive enough and robust enough to enable owners, occupiers, landlords, housing associations and local authorities to invest the sums of money necessary to bring the nation’s housing stock up to the standard that is needed."

Lorna Stimpson commented, "I congratulate NHIC for focussing on the healthy homes issue. The cost and technical challenges of improving existing homes will be considerable and there are real dangers that work can be wrongly designed and badly built creating dangers to health and well-being.

"Sadly research shows that, even with the best intentions and best efforts, the performance of improvements actually falls far short of those promised.

"Climate change and social needs can't wait. We have to deliver. So I believe this means improving the regulatory framework and raising standards – not dumbing down standards."

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