Policies to promote the environmental efficiency of housing

Policies to promote the environmental efficiency of housing are well established across the developed world. These typically draw upon both traditional standard-setting regulation and market-based approaches, and increasingly recognise the role of households through education and 'behaviour change' initiatives. Characterised by underpinning market rationalisation discourses, policies to date have overall failed to deliver significant reductions in energy demand. In recognition of this failure and of the urgent need to address climate change and energy scarcity, policy-makers have the opportunity to design new approaches to housing energy efficiency by drawing on available evidence concerning the shaping of energy-related household and housing industry practice.