Energy House Labs welcomed members of the UK Government’s Committee on Fuel Poverty last month for a fact-finding visit, providing an opportunity to showcase the research and innovation taking place across our world-leading facilities.
Led by our very own Professor Richard Fitton, a member of the Committee on Fuel Poverty, the visit highlighted how our research is helping to improve the energy performance of UK homes.
Discussions focused on the role of building performance, insulation and heat pump technologies in tackling fuel poverty and improving domestic energy efficiency. Our team shared insights into the latest technologies being tested across Energy House Labs, including research designed to understand how domestic energy systems perform under realistic, repeatable conditions.
The Committee on Fuel Poverty provides independent advice to the UK Government on progress towards fuel poverty targets. Its work includes reviewing the effectiveness of policies and schemes, identifying barriers to progress and encouraging collaboration between government, industry and local stakeholders. This supports the ambition for as many fuel-poor homes as reasonably practicable to achieve a minimum EPC Band C rating by 2030.
Professor Richard Fitton said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Committee on Fuel Poverty to Energy House Labs and to showcase the breadth of research taking place across our facilities.
“The challenge of reducing fuel poverty is closely linked to the performance of our homes, and evidence-led research has a vital role to play in ensuring that retrofit, insulation and low-carbon heating technologies deliver meaningful benefits for households.”
Throughout the visit, the group explored how evidence generated in controlled testing environments can support better retrofit decisions, accelerate the deployment of low-carbon heating systems and improve outcomes for households at risk of fuel poverty.
The visit reinforced Energy House Labs’ role in supporting national conversations around domestic energy performance, retrofit quality and the transition to low-carbon homes. It also highlighted the importance of robust, real-world evidence in shaping policy, informing industry best practice and supporting government decision-making.
Alongside the tour and technical discussions, the Committee on Fuel Poverty also held one of its formal committee meetings at Energy House Labs.
Our unique facilities enable researchers and industry partners to test homes, materials and technologies under precisely controlled environmental conditions. By evaluating the performance of insulation products, heat pumps and other low-carbon technologies before they are deployed at scale, Energy House Labs is helping to develop solutions that improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and create warmer, healthier homes.