Green Deal – long-term or short-term benefits?
It has been announced during a recent press release by the DECC that “Due to overwhelming popular demand, the Green Home Improvement Fund is closed for applications with immediate effect”. The Green Deal Home Improvement fund only opened to application on 9th June 2014. The article stipulated that “All applications received prior to the fund […]
Commercial EPC legislation update
The Energy Act 2011 set a wide number of provisions including EPC minimum standards requirements for residential and commercial properties. About 20% of non-domestic properties could be in the F and G ratings bracket. Furthermore, also some prime properties will be in this situation and not only secondary or tertiary stock. In the properties in […]
Unlocking the Green Deal for Social Housing
As the contractor awarded with an unprecedented eight year contract with Britain’s biggest social housing landlord, Carillion has made every effort to ensure that Green Deal, as well as ECO, become a reality for the thousands of hard pressed tenants. Deservedly it can now have confidence in delivering improvements on the ground in significant numbers […]
Changes needed to kick-start Green Deal
A leading green lender has warned that it is urgent for the UK government to give motivations in order to increase public demand for the Green Deal. According to the Energy Minister Greg Barker, the initiative would stimulate up to 10,000 upgrades per year. Syntegra Consulting is an independent energy consultancy and can provide you […]
SBEM Calculations
SBEM (or Simplify Building Energy Model) is a software tool developed by BRE for the Department for Communities and Local Government and provides an analysis of a building’s energy consumption. SBEM is used for non domestic buildings in support of the National Calculation Methodology (NCM), the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Green […]
Domestic RHI tariffs give boost to heating technologies
The tariff levels for the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, due to commence next spring have been set at 7.3p/kWh for air source heat pumps; 12.2p/kWh for biomass boilers; 18.8p/kWh for ground source heat pumps and at least 19.2p/kWh for solar thermal. Householders will be able to invest in a wide range of technologies […]
DECC release figures for first quarter on Green Deal for energy efficiency improvements
The DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) has released first quarter figures on the Green Deal for energy efficiency improvements. The statistics reveal that around 40,000 Green Deal Assessments have been undertaken since the scheme started. 47% of households who had received a Green Deal Advice Report following an assessment said that they were […]
Government still a long way off Green Deal finance target but Minister for Energy and Climate Change emphasises it is still early days for Green Deal
Statistics show 36 households signed up to the Green Deal by the end of June but the figure still leaves the government a long way off the target of 10,000 Green Deal financing packages by the end of the year. The slow start to the scheme had been blamed on the fact only a few […]
Promising start for Green Deal as energy efficiency work begins in London, Kent and Wales
Following the launch of the Green Deal in January, energy efficiency schemes have begun around the country, in London, Enfield Council has joined forces with British Gas to deliver a £10 million energy efficiency improvement programme to the borough. The scheme will reduce the energy bills of 1,000 of Enfield’s lowest income households by an […]
Green Deal assessments build up momentum
Since the Green Deal Scheme was introduced, the Department of Energy & Climate Change have reported a vast increase in assessments (a total of 9268). The Green Deal Scheme allows household owners to pay for energy-saving improvements to their home through installments in their electricity bill. It will provide low-cost and long-term funding across all […]
Green Deal will have limited impact, industry warns
Green Deal aims to help to pay the upfront costs for energy improvements such as insulation, heating, draught proofing, double glazing and renewable energy technologies. Launched in January 2013, the Deal was also announced to be a help to support jobs. Nevertheless, one criticism was the high interest rates on loans. The Green Deal Finance […]
Construction training needed now for the Green Deal or UK will miss out an opportunity to provide jobs and boost wider economy
Training for the Green Deal is available but the take up has been slow, the Green Deal could be highly beneficial for the planet and saving householders money but the process for firms wishing to become Green Deal accredited is far from straight forward so they need to be sure it worth their while. The […]
European Comissions take legal action over UK green construction regulations failure
The European Commission has begun legal proceedings against the UK government for not delivering a number of green construction regulations mandated by Brussels. The dispute revolves around the government’s failure to clarify how it will comply with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The requirements include providing Display Energy Certificates (DEC’s) to large privately-owned […]
Landlords reluctant to invest in renewable technologies for housing stock due to concerns over funding
According to research by Npower, 84% of landlords are concerned about the energy efficiency of their housing stock while 69% of them are stating lack of funding as the key barrier to making improvements. Many landlords appear to be reluctant to take advantage of the funding available with only 31% indicating to make use of […]
Building Regulations Part L 2013
Consultation documents were released at the end of January for 2012 for the next version of Building Regulations. they are expected to come into force by October 2013 subject to any transitional arrangements. The consultation is presented into 4 sections: Section 1 outlines the consultation approach and then presents proposals to change various technical aspects […]
Low-carbon investment in infrastructure is needed to help the UK meet its C02 targets
Over the next few decades we will have to address an investment challenge towards its transition to a low carbon energy future. According to a recent report from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the government should set binding targets in the way towards the decarbonisation of the UK’s electricity sector in order to promote […]
Green Deal delayed until 2013
The government finally admitted the implementation of its flagship Green Deal scheme has been delayed until 2013, with retrofit work now not expected to come to market until February. The Green Deal was due to start this October, with the industry hoping it would lead to a spike in retrofit work in the final quarter […]
Worries over the borrowing power of the Green Investment Bank
The Green Investment Bank (GIB), a government scheme to attract private involvement and investment in environmental preservation and improvement, may be at risk due to government’s inability to control state borrowing. Although the GIB was set up to fund green schemes such as the Green Deal and sustainable infrastructure projects, it cannot borrow money from […]
Green-Deal uptake could be cut by 2.2 million homes due to the PM’s intervention
The DECC’s Green Deal, intended to reduce carbon emissions by allowing homeowners to pay for energy efficiency improvements through savings on bills, may be under threat. According to official leaked documents, David Cameron has intervened to block proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations. This could prevent 2.2 million homes from partaking in […]
Government supports notion of lower VAT rate for green materials
The UK government is to defend lower VAT rates for insulation against a European Commission ruling that they are illegal. The reasoning behind the government’s defence is an effort to save the Green Deal from being ‘brought down’ by potentially huge cost increases for energy efficiency work driven by Europe’s demand for a quadrupling of […]
FMB launches Green Deal Certification Service for small builders
The Federation of Master Builders has launched a certification scheme to boost small builders’ ability to participate in the Green Deal. The government initiative is intended to boost retrofit work by allowing householders to fund energy efficiency improvement through savings in their energy bills. Thus, the FMB Certification will offer Green Deal Installer Certification for […]
Viability of Green Deal put under threat by Brussels VAT rule
Building merchants have warned that the VAT hike by the EU Directive is threatening to hinder the success of the Green Deal and suppress the market for building materials. The European Commission has told the Government to amend UK legislation which allows a reduced VAT rate for the supply and installation of energy-saving materials such […]
High Court action for Green Deal Oversight
Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) and the Renewable Energy Association are being claimed of “incompleteness” and “unfairness” in regulating the solar manufacturing. REAL sets code for conduct for solar installers to comply with. One solar panel installation company called Crystal Doors and Windows made claims to High Court that REAL disobeyed its own code of […]
David Cameron in bid to save Green Deal
Prime minister, David Cameron intends to rescue the Green Deal by commissioning the Cabinet Office for an urgent briefing on how to rescue this flagship energy efficiency scheme so as to avoid a collapse in insulation installations The intervention came about just weeks after the success of the flagship energy efficiency policy was put at […]
