Improving energy efficiency a ‘retrofit opportunity’

Over 56% of the total properties in England have below-average energy efficiency, presenting a major opportunity for the window and door industry to identify where to target retrofit projects and how they can optimise marketing to homeowners – according to new research from Eurocell.

To examine the scale of inefficient housing stock in England, Eurocell analysed national Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data, revealing the region’s most in need of urgent efficiency upgrades and demonstrating where the biggest opportunities are for fabricators and installers to support homeowners in upgrading their property’s energy performance.

It’s no secret that England has an ageing housing stock that needs modernising to today’s energy efficiency standards. But Eurocell’s analysis reveals that there are 32 areas that have a portion of properties with a below average EPC rating (D to G), above 65% – with the Isles of Scilly topping the list with 84.90%.

A further 232 areas in England out of a total of 308 analysed, also have a portion of properties with a below average EPC rating, at above 50%.

Gary Driscoll, sales and commercial director at Eurocell, says its analysis gives the fenestration industry a real marketing opportunity at a time when market conditions are a challenge: “Our research into EPC data paints a clear picture of where in England fabricators and installers – especially those with national networks or those that operate in large regions – have a big opportunity to target specific postcodes and help educate those homeowners on the energy performance of their home, how they can improve it and why it’s important to do so. This can create new business opportunities at a time when the market is still subdued.”

In Q4 of 2024, Oxford Economics revealed in its own analysis that prospective buyers expect meaningful discounts on properties with poor energy performance, with homes rated F or G typically selling for 7.4% less compared to D-rated properties.

Taking the average house price in England at £309,000, a poor energy performance could shave almost £23,000 off the asking price – while those homes with a high energy-efficient home (A or B rated) compared with Band D were shown to attract offers of 3.4% more.

Gary continued: “This analysis coupled with Eurocell’s EPC research, offers a real talking point for window and door businesses to demonstrate to homeowners the impact upgrading can have on the future sale of their home – of course alongside the benefits for bills in the short term and reducing the carbon footprint of their home, a compelling argument can be made for the growing importance of improving glazing.”

Where are England’s least energy-efficient homes?

According to Eurocell’s research, Eden in Cumbria has the highest proportion of least energy-efficient housing in England. 4,319 (17%) of the 24,361 homes here are classed as either an F or G on the rating scale.

Other areas with higher portions of housing with the least energy-efficient performance ratings include:

• West Devon: 15.83% of homes rated F or G, many relying on costly oil or solid-fuel heating systems.
• Cornwall: 14.91% of homes fall into the lowest energy bands, worsened by ageing properties and damp coastal climates.
• Ryedale: 15.04% of homes in and around the North York Moors fall into the lowest efficiency bands.

The latest data from the ONS on energy-related home improvements found one in three adults still say cost is the reason why they don’t consider investing in efficiency upgrades.

To maximise leads, Eurocell believes fabricators and installers need to work closely with their profile partners to capitalise on postcodes that are more likely to return projects. Gary added: “We know there is a cost challenge in the short term for homeowners to undertake improvement projects but we believe fabricators and installers can work closely with their profile supplier to navigate these challenges and optimise their marketing to generate more leads.

“We are at a crossroads where homeowners understand the importance of reducing their home’s carbon footprint and have the desire to do so, so there is still a big opportunity out there for the industry.”

In 2024, Eurocell launched a new programme of support for its fabricator network, ‘Eurocell Grow’ to help fabricators grow their business and stand out in their markets – a full list of benefits for fabricators can be found here.

For more information about Eurocell’s EPC research, visit here.

Methodology

Eurocell analysed data from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities which contains figures for every household in England and Wales. The number of ratings was contrasted with the number of properties to determine which areas have the best/worst homes in England in terms of energy efficiency. Data correct as of December 2024.