Older buildings "four to six times" less energy efficient

Older properties are significantly less energy efficient than more modern homes or new-builds, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has warned.

With the government stressing the importance of energy efficiency in the UK's new housing stock, little has been made of the inefficiency of older period homes.

But according to John Slaughter, spokesman for the HBF, old houses can be up to six times less energy efficient than newer properties, meaning higher energy costs for the homeowners and a larger environmental impact.

"[Older buildings] are generally much less energy efficient than new builds because, depending on what age of building you're talking about, they may pre-date any national building regulations in relation to energy efficiency," he said.

"Data that has been collected in recent years would suggest that if you compared a house built today with one built a hundred years ago it might be four to six times more energy efficient overall."



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