Written question WQ84663

We want as many residential and commercial buildings as possible to be energy efficient.

Through Cadw, the Welsh Government actively encourages the owners of listed buildings to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon emissions. Cadw is about to publish Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings in Wales as a companion volume to Renewable Energy and Your Historic Building on the siting and design of micro-renewable systems. This new guidance encourages energy efficiency, explains installation and helps ensure proposals are effective and cost efficient. It also advises that significant energy savings can be made by improving energy efficiency. Repair and maintenance are important energy saving measures and Cadw’s grant programme for 2022/23 will offer financial assistance towards the repair of historic community assets.

The Welsh Government ambition is for the public sector to be Net Zero by 2030, which requires large scale delivery of public sector renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. We are supporting public sector organisations to meet this ambitious target through our Welsh Government Energy Service, providing technical and financial assistance to reduce the carbon emissions of all public sector estate buildings, including listed buildings.

The Welsh Government’s Optimised RetroFit Programme funds Registered Social Landlords and Local Authorities to assess and improve homes and ensure appropriate heat and power selection. These homes must meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, which has seen £1.8bn of funding support to date. The revised standard, to be implemented in 2022, will move us forward in tackling fuel poverty and climate change, and increasing green technologies. Registered Social Landlords and Local Authorities must work with Cadw if homes are listed with regards to any relevant control factors.

Our new Net Zero Carbon Performance Hwb will provide independent advice to landlords and owners of property, including listed buildings, on installing measures to achieve carbon targets and reduce fuel poverty.

Where listed buildings relate to businesses, Business Wales is now providing enhanced information, guidance and support to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.