Fuel Crisis, Fuel Poverty, Fuels Nothing (Rising energy costs and housing delivery: finding practical ways forward)

In June 2026, iB Architects convened a round table discussion titled “Fuel Crisis, Fuel Poverty, Fuels Nothing” - an exploration of how escalating energy costs are affecting the already complex challenge of delivering affordable housing in the UK.

The session opened with an introductory presentation by Ellie Perkins, a certified Passivhaus designer, who framed the discussion around a stark and persistent reality: fuel poverty remains widespread, and in many cases is deepening. Energy prices, still significantly elevated compared to pre-2018 levels, continue to place pressure on households, with the consequences extending far beyond financial hardship - into health, wellbeing, and societal resilience.

What followed was not a neat set of answers, but a wide-ranging and, at times, uncomfortable conversation. If anything, the session reinforced just how interconnected - and misaligned - the housing, energy, and policy systems have become.

Fuel poverty is often reduced to a simple equation of income versus bills. Yet the discussion quickly expanded this view. Poor energy efficiency, ageing housing stock, and inconsistent regulatory frameworks were all identified as critical contributors.

For many households, the issue is not only the cost of energy, but the quality of the buildings themselves. Poorly performing homes lock occupants into high demand and high bills, with little or no capacity to invest in improvement.  At its most severe, this leads to deeply concerning outcomes - households unable to adequately heat their homes, reduce basic living standards, or make long-term decisions.  And yet, while the problem is widely recognised, responses remain fragmented.

A recurring theme throughout the session was the tension between short-term relief and long-term strategy. Policies aimed at easing energy costs can sit uneasily alongside decarbonisation objectives, creating a sense of inconsistency that filters through to developers, designers, and clients alike. The result is uncertainty - and, in many cases, inaction.

Central to the discussion was the long-standing debate between “fabric-first” design and technology-led interventions.  In principle, the argument for fabric-first is well established: improve the building envelope - insulation, airtightness, glazing, and form - and energy demand reduces inherently. This approach offers durable, passive benefits, improving comfort while reducing reliance on mechanical systems.

However, the session revealed a persistent gap between industry rhetoric and delivery.  Too often, technology is deployed as a compensatory measure rather than a strategic one. Heat pumps, solar arrays, and smart systems are layered onto buildings that are fundamentally inefficient, limiting their effectiveness and, in some cases, increasing costs without delivering the expected performance.

Passivhaus principles were presented as one structured approach to resolving this - not necessarily as a certification target in every case, but as a methodology grounded in measurable performance. Its modelling tools and emphasis on quality control were seen as valuable mechanisms for testing design decisions and closing the gap between intent and outcome.  Yet a critical question emerged: if the benefits of fabric-first are widely understood, why does adoption remain inconsistent?

Cost remains one of the most commonly cited barriers to higher performance housing. But as the discussion unfolded, it became clear that cost is often framed too narrowly.

Examples were shared where alternative approaches - such as simpler electric heating systems paired with solar and battery storage - could deliver lower capital costs than more complex installations, depending on context. Similarly, the reallocation of budget within a project - prioritising building fabric over less impactful elements - was highlighted as a missed opportunity.

More fundamentally, the conversation pointed to a structural issue: the market does not adequately reward long-term performance. Mortgage lending, valuation models, and developer appraisals continue to prioritise upfront cost over operational savings, making it harder to justify investment in higher-performing homes.  Until this imbalance is addressed, efficient housing risks remaining a niche offering rather than the norm.

While much of the industry focus is placed on individual buildings, the discussion broadened to consider systemic constraints - particularly grid capacity.  Electrification of heat, transport, and wider infrastructure is placing unprecedented demand on the grid, with some regions already experiencing delays or restrictions on new connections. In certain areas, the timeline for necessary upgrades stretches well beyond a decade.  This raises a fundamental challenge: can housing delivery realistically accelerate without parallel investment in infrastructure?

Participants explored potential interim solutions, including distributed energy generation, battery storage, and localised systems. However, these approaches introduce additional complexity and require supportive policy frameworks that are not yet fully in place.  Again, the theme of misalignment surfaced - between planning timelines, infrastructure delivery, and the urgency of housing need.

Beyond technology and policy, the discussion turned to the human and cultural factors shaping delivery. 

Concerns were raised around build quality, workforce skills, and the fragmentation of project teams. Even where high-performance components are specified, poor installation or lack of continuity can undermine outcomes. The notion of “someone else’s problem” - a lack of shared accountability across the supply chain - was identified as a persistent barrier.

In this context, formal standards and certification were seen not only as technical tools, but as mechanisms for enforcing quality and responsibility.

At the same time, broader cultural habits - from how occupants use buildings to industry attitudes towards innovation - were recognised as influencing performance in ways that are often underestimated.  The challenge, then, is not purely technical. It is behavioural, organisational, and systemic.

If the session arrived at a single conclusion, it was this: the housing and energy sectors are not short of solutions - they are constrained by the systems within which those solutions must operate.

Misaligned incentives, outdated regulations, infrastructure bottlenecks, and cultural resistance all contribute to a form of systemic inertia. In this environment, even well-evidenced approaches struggle to scale.

Yet there were also signs of optimism. Economic signals - particularly energy costs - are beginning to shift behaviour. Interest in running costs is growing, particularly among certain buyer groups. And there is increasing recognition that quality, once delivered, pays dividends over the long term.  The question is whether these shifts can coalesce into meaningful change at the pace required.

The discussion closed not with definitive answers, but with a shared recognition of the need for continued dialogue - and, critically, for greater alignment across the sector.  If fuel poverty is to be addressed alongside the delivery of affordable, sustainable homes, it will require coordination between policy, finance, design, and delivery in a way that the industry has historically struggled to achieve.

For architects, developers, and policymakers alike, the challenge is clear: how do we make good outcomes the easiest outcomes to deliver?

iB Architects will continue to host and contribute to these conversations, bringing together perspectives from across the industry to explore practical routes forward.

Around the Table with iB Architects were:

Jason Brock                         Dev Comms
Sara Dutfield                       Turley
James Steel                         Rise 4
Paul Gannaway                 B&M
Bengt Magnussen            TALO
Doug Johnson                   Mesh Energy
Nick Cobbold                     Bell Cornwell
Joanne Bridges                  Bridges Communications
Peter Sheppard                 ION Consulting
Ellie Perkins                        iB Architects
Penny Dixon                       iB Architects
Ian Blake                              iB Architects

If you would like to be part of future round table discussions, or to explore how high-performance design can support your housing projects, we would welcome the conversation.