USING REAP FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEEDS CITY REGION RSS HOUSING POLICY

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute uses the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) to assess the environmental impact of housing policies in the Leeds City Region (LCR) between 2003 and 2026. It evaluates 15 scenarios to determine how different policy interventions—such as retrofitting existing homes, implementing 'Ecohomes' standards for new builds, and changing the electricity mix—affect carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the Ecological Footprint.

• Under a 'business as usual' scenario aligned with the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), total carbon dioxide emissions from housing in the Leeds City Region are projected to increase by 8% by 2026 compared to 2003 levels.
• Retrofitting existing housing stock is identified as the most effective single policy for reducing CO2 emissions, with the potential to achieve net carbon savings between 19% and 39% compared to the business as usual scenario.
• Combining multiple policy interventions—including regulatory efficiency improvements, increased renewables, faster adoption of 'Ecohomes' standards, and retrofit measures—can lead to 'Factor 2' energy reductions and save up to 43 million tonnes of CO2 compared to the business as usual scenario.
• The 'Combined Aspirational' scenario (E1) is the most effective modelled path, projecting that total CO2 emissions from housing in 2026 would be 50% lower than in 2003, with emissions per household dropping by 56%.
• In 2003, housing accounted for 19% of the total Ecological Footprint and 23% of the total carbon dioxide emissions attributed to the Leeds City Region.
• The report notes a gap in the draft RSS, stating that while the overall strategy emphasizes climate change, the specific housing component does not directly address global sustainability, emissions reduction, or the promotion of renewable energy resources.

APA

Frey, S., Paul, A., & Barrett, J. (n.d.). USING REAP FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEEDS CITY REGION RSS HOUSING POLICY. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/using_reap_environmental_assessment_leeds.pdf

Chicago

Frey, Sibylle, Alistair Paul, and John Barrett. USING REAP FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEEDS CITY REGION RSS HOUSING POLICY. Stockholm Environment Institute, n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/using_reap_environmental_assessment_leeds.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Frey |first1=Sibylle |last2=Paul |first2=Alistair |last3=Barrett |first3=John |title=USING REAP FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEEDS CITY REGION RSS HOUSING POLICY |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/using_reap_environmental_assessment_leeds.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{freyndusing, author = {Frey, Sibylle and Paul, Alistair and Barrett, John}, title = {{USING REAP FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEEDS CITY REGION RSS HOUSING POLICY}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/using_reap_environmental_assessment_leeds.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }