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Not one household registered for Green Deal |
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20 Nov 2012, 12:54 PM
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The Green Deal is looking more and more unlikely to succeed, with Greg Barker, the climate change minister admitting last week that “no assessments have yet been lodged” on the Government’s official register by homeowners.
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The scheme is due to go live in 10 weeks, but householders have had since October 1st to register for a survey. As yet not one home is 'on the books' - yet the Coalition hopes that owners of up to 14 million draughty homes will sign up to the scheme.
Mr Barker made the disclosure in an answer to a parliamentary question by Luciana Berger, the shadow climate change minister. She asked him how many in-house assessments have been carried out since that part of the scheme launched at the start of October. Mr Barker answered: “Green Deal assessments are completed when they have been conducted in the property and the results are lodged on the Energy Performance Certificate register, through software developed specifically for occupancy assessments. While we understand a number of appointments for the in-property assessments have been made, no assessments have yet been lodged on the register.”
Keith Riddle, Managing Director at VELUX, commenting on the news said
“The sluggish start to the Green Deal can be attributed to a shamefully poor understanding of the scheme at Government level. Despite being heralded as its flagship green policy our research reveals that more than a fifth of MPs are not familiar with how it works while half admit they will not be promoting the Green Deal’s far reaching benefits to homeowners in their constituencies.
“With no consumer marketing in place and the Government still trying to quieten discontent from some corners of the industry, a top down approach by Government is needed if we are to successfully tackle the carbon emissions attributable to our buildings as well as the growing issue of fuel poverty and create 250,000 new jobs. If the Green Deal falls flat it could have serious ramifications for the wider energy efficiency market and the Government’s promise to be the ‘greenest ever’. We hope the Green Deal is top of MPs’ reading lists this Christmas.”
As well as lack of interest from homeowners, building companies are also shying away from getting involved.
According to the Federation of Master Builders, the UK’s biggest building trade body, only one firm from its 10,000-strong membership has signed up to become an accredited Green Deal installer.
Brian Berry, the chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Only one building company [that is a FMB member] has signed up to become an installer out of 10,000 because that demonstrates the lack of a market.”
The Government’s official register of Green Deal installers, providers and assessors – including non-FMB members - shows that just under 300 companies have signed up to be involved.
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