I am a student, currently studying a Masters in Environmental Sustainability, which, in a nutshell, is looking at resource efficiency within our Built Environment - buildings, water and waste. Prior to this, I studied Product Design before working in various mediums before returning to study.

MAKE BUILDINGS BETTER

1. Unless the market exists, developers will only ever need to deliver the minimum, but energy efficiency doesn't tend to feature highly on house buyers lists. Therefore, the market needs to be created to educate occupants that, despite living in a country with temperature extremes, fuel bills need not be astronomical.
   1. National campaign: educate people on EPC ratings; rights when purchasing a new build property; better understanding of thermal efficiency and air tightness - and their correlation to fuel bills. Understanding what the long term impact of paying for heat loss and making it clear to buyers so they demand more, not accept less.
   2. Local campaign: promote EPC ratings more when selling a house and making this a greater feature of a house purchase so that it becomes part of the buying process - and understanding the impact of buying a lower rated house and the long term losses that will generate.
2. Regulations allow for basic housing to go through as 'OK'. Air permeability of 10 still makes for a house with substantial heat losses, flying in the face of government targets. Tighten this up to something more reasonable - 5?