Buildings could have a regular MOT-style test to boost their energy efficiency, an official think tank has suggested.
The Foresight report looked at how the UK could adapt to cut carbon emissions, and came up with the idea of 'MOTs for buildings' as one way to promote better energy use.
Other ideas include 'smart meters' that measure energy use and more local energy production.
Possible penalties for failing the buildings test could be higher insurance premiums.
Yvonne Rydin, one of the lead authors of the report, said: "If you're going to take the car MOT analogy forward, you could say that building insurance would be dependent on reaching a certain standard.
"That would concentrate people's minds," she said, quoted in the Guardian.
James Murray of the BusinessGreen website imagined what a buildings inspection might sound like.
"Your insulation's shot, and you'll have to get some of them solar panels if you want to pass the MOT," he said.
