Residential
Emissions from the residential sector accounted for around 16% of total UK emissions in 2020. Most of this was carbon dioxide emissions from residential fossil fuel use – primarily this means emissions resulting from activities such as heating and cooking. Emissions related to residential electricity use, including for heating, are attributable to power stations, which are the source of these emissions, and are therefore included in the energy supply sector.
From the early 2000s to 2014, the general trend in emissions was downwards. Since 2014 however, emissions have remained around the same level. Residential emissions are heavily influenced by external temperatures, meaning that particularly colder years such as 2010 saw higher levels of emissions due to greater use of gas for heating in homes. The same series on a temperature adjusted basis has actually been showing an increasing trend in recent years.
Households were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the same way as some other sectors were in 2020. There was no noticeable fall in emissions, with many people working from home for much of the year, meaning greater household energy consumption.
The additional end-user emissions are emissions from the energy supply sector which have been re-allocated to the residential sector. This effectively represents electricity consumption in homes. These emissions have also gradually decreased since 1990 in line with the decrease in emissions from the energy supply sector as that sector has decarbonised.
From the early 2000s to 2014, the general trend in emissions was downwards. Since 2014 however, emissions have remained around the same level. Residential emissions are heavily influenced by external temperatures, meaning that particularly colder years such as 2010 saw higher levels of emissions due to greater use of gas for heating in homes. The same series on a temperature adjusted basis has actually been showing an increasing trend in recent years.
Households were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the same way as some other sectors were in 2020. There was no noticeable fall in emissions, with many people working from home for much of the year, meaning greater household energy consumption.
The additional end-user emissions are emissions from the energy supply sector which have been re-allocated to the residential sector. This effectively represents electricity consumption in homes. These emissions have also gradually decreased since 1990 in line with the decrease in emissions from the energy supply sector as that sector has decarbonised.
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What needs to be done to reach net-zero?
Unsurprisingly, almost all residential emissions come from residential combustion, i.e. the use of fossil fuels for heating and cooking.
The priority for the UK will be to reduce the use of fossil fuels in homes, particularly from gas boilers for heating. Energy efficiency improvements to much of the UK’s existing housing stock will need to be a priority, particularly by way of retrofitting for better insulation. Heat pumps will need to be part of the solution, and solar PV will also need to become more attractive. New housing developments will need to be built to higher energy efficient standards.
Unsurprisingly, almost all residential emissions come from residential combustion, i.e. the use of fossil fuels for heating and cooking.
The priority for the UK will be to reduce the use of fossil fuels in homes, particularly from gas boilers for heating. Energy efficiency improvements to much of the UK’s existing housing stock will need to be a priority, particularly by way of retrofitting for better insulation. Heat pumps will need to be part of the solution, and solar PV will also need to become more attractive. New housing developments will need to be built to higher energy efficient standards.
