1. Outline
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) commissioned Kamma Climate to produce an archetype dataset which provides a detailed representation of the UK housing stock. Each archetype in the dataset represents a stock of homes with similar characteristics, located in a particular region of the UK.
The dataset forms a key input into our model for decarbonising heat in existing residential buildings, which was developed for the Seventh Carbon Budget.
This report explains the methodology used to produce the dataset.
This report reflects the views of Kamma climate and does not represent the views of the CCC.
2. Key messages
The key findings from the research were:
- The dataset was derived from the national EPC databases. Kamma used their proprietary system to predict the characteristics of properties without an EPC and fill gaps in coverage.
- Government housing surveys for each of the UK nations and other government datasets were used to enhance the integrity of the EPC data and to add variables which are not included in the EPC dataset.
- A hierarchical clustering process was used to merge similar archetypes, ensuring that the dataset remained representative across a range of variables, and adequately captured the heterogeneity of the housing stock, while limiting the dataset to a manageable size.
- For each archetype, the characteristics include: region; typology; size; energy use; heating system; tenure; fuel poverty status; and levels of roof, wall, and floor insulation. The final dataset consists of more than 11,000 unique archetypes.
Further details on the use of the data will be published on 21 May 2025, in the Seventh Carbon Budget Methodology Report.
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