FULL TEXT OF OPEN LETTER:

Dear Chancellor,
Congratulations on your recent electoral success and appointment as first secretary of state. As the
leaders of businesses and industry groups from across the construction, retrofit and property
sectors, we have come together to demonstrate the remarkable degree of consensus that exists on
the economic benefits of reducing carbon emissions from the built environment.
Energy used in the construction and operation of homes and buildings accounts for over a third of
the UKs total emissions. Yet our sector offers cost-effective carbon reductions which are not only
compatible with ongoing economic recovery and deficit reduction, but present a major opportunity
for economic growth.
Building energy efficiency stimulates economic activity, strengthens our international
competitiveness and creates thousands of jobs across the UK, mostly with small local businesses. It
lowers costs for businesses and householders, and reduces the burden on the NHS. And as a more
cost effective means of meeting demand than building new generating capacity, it is also crucial in
safeguarding our energy security.
We strongly welcome the commitments in the Conservative Manifesto to support the Climate
Change Act and to push for a strong global climate deal in Paris later this year. But to continue to
stimulate investment and innovation in building energy efficiency, the Government will need
ambitious, long term policies which provide a clear trajectory for our sector:

Recognise energy efficiency as a national infrastructure priority and allocate infrastructure

funds to catalyse a national programme to bring all UK homes up to EPC band C

Deliver on the commitment for all new homes and all new non-domestic buildings to be zero
carbon from 2016 and 2019 respectively, with practical and robust Allowable Solutions encouraging
low and zero carbon community energy solutions

Ensure that Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for the commercial and private rented
sector from 2018 are effectively enforced, with adequate support available for Local Authorities and
exemptions kept to a minimum where practical

Outline how the Government intends to meet the third and fourth carbon budgets, and
introduce an ambitious fifth carbon budget, in line with the recommendations from the Committee
on Climate Change
We would welcome the opportunity for a small number of our businesses to discuss these issues
with you in person.

Yours sincerely

Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive, UK Green Building Council

Joanne Wade, Director, Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE)

Keith Exford CBE, Chief Executive, Affinity Sutton
Pat Ward, Chief Executive, Aggregate Industries UK
Matt Pullen, Country Director, AkzoNobel UK
Nick Molho, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group
Gary Newman, Executive Chair, Alliance for Sustainable Building Products
David Partridge, Managing Partner, Argent (Property Development) Services LLP
Tristram Carfrae, Deputy Chair, Arup
John Hughes, Managing Director, Ask Property Developments
Patrick Bellew, Principal, Atelier Ten
Graham Cash, Chief Executive, BAM Construct UK
Mark Clare, Group Chief Executive, Barratt Developments
Rab Bennetts, Director, Bennetts Associates
Sarah Ratcliffe, Programme Director, Better Buildings Partnership
Malcolm Whetstone, Chief Operating Officer, Bilfinger GVA
Nicolas Gurin, Managing Director, Bouygues Development
Peter Bonfield, Chief Executive, BRE
Richard Francis, Chair, Environmental Sustainability Group, British Council for Offices
Edward Cooke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, British Council for Shopping Centres
Melanie Leech, Chief Executive, British Property Federation
Helen Dickinson, Director General, British Retail Consortium
Hamish Macleod, Director of Public Affairs, BSW Timber
David Dryden, Chairman, Cundall
Alan Somerville, Director, Head of Strategic Energy and Sustainability EMEA, DTZ
Tony Cocker, Chief Executive Officer, E.ON UK
Ed Matthew, Director, Energy Bill Revolution
John Craggs, Deputy Chief Executive, Gentoo Group

Peter Connolly, Chief Executive, Igloo Regeneration

Rob Boogaard, Chief Executive, Interface
Mark Stupples, UK Chief Operating Officer, JLL
Dave Sheridan, Chief Executive, Keepmoat
Richard Gillies, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kingfisher
John Sinfield, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation Northern Europe
Cyrille Ragoucy, Chief Executive, Lafarge Tarmac
Bill Hughes, Head of Real Assets, Legal & General Property
Dan Labbad. Chief Executive Officer, International Operations, Lend Lease
Bill Rumble, Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Group
Mike Barry, Director of Sustainable Business, Marks and Spencer
Donald Daw, Joint Managing Director, Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems UK
Gill Payne, Director of Policy and External Affairs, National Housing Federation
Sunand Prasad, Senior Partner, Penoyre & Prasad
Gill Webber, Director of Communications & Outreach, RIBA
Peter Rickaby, Director, Rickaby Thompson
Peter Hindle, MBE, Senior Vice-President, Sustainable Habitat, Saint-Gobain, and General Delegate,
Saint-Gobain (UK, Ireland and South Africa)
David Sleath, Chief Executive, SEGRO
Ivo Schaedler, General Manager, Sika
Tony Aikenhead, Director of Operations, Sir Robert McAlpine
Dave Sowden, Chief Executive, Sustainable Energy Association
John Carter, Chief Executive, Travis Perkins Group
Tim Cobbold, Chief Executive Officer, UBM
Lindsay Harvey, President (UK and Ireland), UTC Building & Industrial Systems
Alex Flach, Construction and Maintenance Director, Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants
Rob Lambe, Managing Director, Willmott Dixon

Neil Schofield, Head of External Affairs, Worcester Bosch