London named most energy efficient region
London has the most energy efficient housing in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Its newly published report assessed the energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales up until March 2021.
The report collected energy efficiency scores from every home with an energy performance certificate (EPCs).
It revealed the London has the highest median energy efficiency score of 68, ahead of the national average in England (66) and Wales (64) which is the equivalent of a D-grade.
Meanwhile Yorkshire and the Humber and West Midlands both had the lowest average score of 65.
EPCs have been a legal requirement on all sold properties since 2007 and approximately half the housing stock in England and Wales has been given a score.
It is based on data such as energy features, building materials used, the heating systems and insulation.
Each house is scored for efficiency from 1 to 100, alongside an A-F letter band, with the most efficient houses receiving the highest scores.
Reasons for the capital’s superior energy efficiency listed in the report include its number of cmmunity heating schemes.
London uses six times as many community heating schemes as any other region in either country with 16 per cent of houses reliant on the schemes for energy.
It is also the least dependent on main gas to fuel central heating, with 69 per cent of dwellings powered by the highly polluting energy source.
In both countries, eight in ten houses used main gas as its primary fuel source for central heating.
Property types were also compared, with flats and maisonettes being by far the most energy efficient housing stock.
Flats and maisonettes scored 72 for median energy efficiency, a C-band score while other housing options averaged D scores.
In particular, socially rented dwellings had the highest median energy efficiency score across all property types in both England and Wales.
Terraced houses were the second most energy efficient housing stock, followed by detached houses, while semi-detached homes recorded median scores of 63. London is the most populous city in either country, with the densest population.