England’s Private Rented Sector Achieves Significant Energy Efficiency Gains

England's housing stock has grown by 9% over the past decade, with energy efficiency improvements playing a significant role, particularly in the private rented sector where nearly half of properties now have high energy efficiency ratings. Low carbon technologies like air source heat pumps remain rare, with only 1.1% of homes using them as primary heating, while solar panel adoption is more widespread, present in nearly 6% of dwellings. Despite federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at energy efficiency improvements in public schools, delays caused by policy reviews under President Trump’s administration have paused these funds in 2025, impacting both school facility upgrades and job opportunities for union workers. A culture shift emphasizing leadership and organizational change is also critical to achieving energy efficiency targets, as technology alone is insufficient without supportive management and collaboration. Furthermore, the energy research community underscores the importance of open, high-quality data guided by the FAIR principles to enhance scientific progress and data usability in energy studies. Together, these developments highlight the multifaceted challenges and progress in advancing energy efficiency across sectors.