'Greening' existing buildings better than 250,000 transatlantic flights

Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings could save the same amount of carbon as 250,000 flights between London and New York.

That is the finding of a committee of MPs who will this week warn the government the biggest carbon savings can be made improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

The All Party Urban Development Group’s report on greening existing buildings also warns policies to improve the environmental standards of offices and shops are “empty rhetoric”.

The group’s report, to be released this week, will warn the government has “ignored the real issues in favour of easy headlines”, according to the Financial Times.