Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025: Implications for the built environment

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has published its Energy Strategy Action Plan, setting out a proposed roadmap for 2025 to “advance the transition towards secure, affordable and clean energy”.

This is the fourth annual action plan to be published since the Executive launched Northern Ireland’s Energy Strategy, “The Path to Net Zero”, in 2021.

The 2025 Plan outlines several actions that relate to the built environment. These include:

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

• DfE will publish a scheme design in Q3 2025 for future low carbon heat and energy efficiency support in residential buildings.
• DfE will complete a mid-term review of the Energy Management Strategy and Action Plan to 2030 for central Government, aiming to decarbonise its estates. This review will establish progress against objectives and present recommendations for a new Action Plan for 2025–2030.
• The Department for Communities (DfC) will publish a consultation on a new Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Scheme by Q4 2025. The new scheme will replace the Affordable Warmth Scheme and continue to act as DfC’s primary mechanism to tackle fuel poverty.
• DfE will publish a consultation on the future of domestic energy efficiency support and delivery in Q2 2025. This will provide the foundational policy direction for cross-departmental delivery relating to energy efficiency.

Building Regulations

• The Department of Finance (DoF) will publish feedback on its Phase 2 discussion document on energy efficiency and related areas of the Building Regulations in Q2 2025.

Relevance to PfG Housing Focus

More broadly, the Executive intends for the overall Energy Strategy to support the decarbonisation of the energy sector by advancing its ambition of achieving self-sufficiency in affordable renewable energy.

The Executive suggests that, in doing so, the Strategy will contribute to the draft Programme for Government priority to “Provide More Social, Affordable and Sustainable Housing”.

If you have any questions or comments about DfE’s Energy Strategy Action Plan, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk