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Reports from BRE
We conduct independent research and publish the results here.
We share our research and reports so that built environment professionals, academics and policymakers can benefit from our work. We often collaborate with government, educational institutions and other research bodies to make sure that our research is rigorous, wide-ranging, and valuable.
BRE’s purpose is to contribute to a thriving and sustainable world by developing science-led solutions to built environment challenges. Our expertise is used to tackle some of today’s toughest global challenges, like climate change, and the safety and security of buildings and infrastructure. BRE carries out independent research to create products, standards and qualifications that make sure buildings, homes and communities are safe and sustainable.
Poor housing costs the NHS £1.4bn a year
The BRE report ‘The Cost of Poor Housing in England’ quantifies the cost burden to the NHS caused by hazards in poor quality homes in England. Our findings reveal that 2.6 million homes in England, 11% of the country’s homes, are categorised as ‘poor quality’. According to BRE’s analysis, more than half (£857 million) of this annual NHS treatment bill can be attributed to defects in homes which expose residents to excess cold, while the second biggest cost to the NHS comes from hazards such as falls on the stairs.
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Decarbonising Britain’s heating
Heating our buildings accounts for nearly a quarter (23%) of the UK’s total greenhouse gases and decarbonising heat will be crucial to achieving net zero. BRE’s research finds that, based on current technology, heat pumps are the best option to move households away from fossil fuels to clean energy. Heat pumps can be most affordably installed and run in well-insulated buildings. The reduced heat demand in insulated buildings can be met by the steady, lower temperature heat that heat pumps most efficiently provide.
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