It's crucial that whoever wins the upcoming general election prioritises fixing the UK's energy-inefficient housing, but the message doesn't seem to be getting through to our political leaders, writes RIBA president Muyiwa Oki.

Last summer, as temperatures soared and the sun beat down relentlessly, people around the UK sweltered in their homes.
A few months ago, with near zero-degree temperatures, many of us found the reverse, struggling to decide whether to turn on the heating and bear the rising energy costs.
Despite our best efforts to stay cool or keep warm, our outdated built environment and energy-inefficient homes meant that escaping the stifling heat or freezing cold was nearly impossible. For some, it was not just uncomfortable ? it was desperately dangerous. It is clear something needs to be done
The state of Britain's ageing homes has become a national shame, and it is clear something needs to be done.
Stark warnings about rising temperatures hit the headlines this month. For the first time on record, global warming breached the critical 1.5-degrees threshold over a 12-month period. In the UK, it was the second-hottest year on record, as we suffered heatwaves and floods. Unfortunately, these trends are set to continue.
We know decarbonising the built environment is crucial to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating rising temperatures; our buildings are responsible for almost 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions. The time to act is now.

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