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30th June 2008

Soaring Fuel Prices Must Lead To Better Building Standards

Conservative spokesman on Climate Change and North East MSP Alex Johnstone is calling for higher building standards to help protect families from  the cost of soaring fuel prices.

Mr Johnstone said "The admission by senior industry leaders that domestic fuel prices could continue to rise by forty percent should send a clear message to developers and planners that more must be done to alleviate the pressure of these costs."

"In the recent past, higher domestic insulation levels and micro renewables have been seen in the context of their carbon footprint and other environmental factors.  I believe however, that now we are relying more and more on imported gas, the cost of which we have no control over, that we must look afresh at the benefits of higher building standards and micro renewables."

Mr Johnstone continued "The cost of maximising insulation and other energy efficiency measures is estimated to be around fifteen thousand pounds per new home, which makes it prohibitively expensive for many, especially at a time when mortgages are so hard to come by.  We really need the government to lead the way on this, and whilst I welcome the publication of "A Low Carbon Building Strategy for Scotland", it is clear that we must act sooner rather than later."

"Unfortunately, we are in the position that for many people, it is more affordable to be energy inefficient than to invest in measures that will save money over the longer term.  This issue is no longer about saving polar bears and ice caps, it is now also about protecting our own communities, especially the most vulnerable,  from fuel poverty and the health risks that it brings."

"Particularly here in Aberdeenshire, with its already overheated housing market and extreme shortage of affordable housing, the hidden costs of high energy prices must not be allowed to further disadvantage the least well off in our communities."