Edited by Tracey Copeland
Green Deal Delays Will Hinder Economic Growth Says FMB
Posted 01.10.12
Delays to work beginning under the Green Deal will hinder growth in the construction industry and the wider economy, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Government originally pledged that work under its flagship Green Deal programme would on the 1st October 2012 - but Ministers have now confirmed that this will not be happening until February 2013, when the repayment mechanism is in place.
However, households will be able to get their homes assessed from October onwards and companies that want to become certified Green Deal Installers can already apply for certification.
Commenting, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said:
"The Government predicts that the Green Deal programme could kick start £14 billion of investment over the next decade and support at least 65,000 new insulation and construction jobs by 2015.
"However, with the construction industry continuing to falter, we need this stimulus right away - which is why it is so disappointing that there will be a three month delay to actual work commencing under the Green Deal."
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Birmingham is the First Council to Appoint a Green Deal Delivery Partner
Posted 08.10.12
Gregory Barker, Minister of State for Climate Change, visited Birmingham to congratulate the City Council and Carillion Energy Services on the announcement of its Green Deal delivery partnership.
Birmingham is the first local authority in the country to appoint a delivery partner for the Green Deal. In an announcement last month, DECC awarded £2.6 million to the City Council to help kick start Green Deal activity across the City. Birmingham City Council aims to lever in an additional £3.2 million in matched funding.
Key projects will include:
The Birmingham Energy Savers programme plans to refurbish around 60,000 homes and non-domestic buildings, creating 250 plus new jobs and helping reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2026.
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Government Backs Up Green Deal Incentive Fund at Local Level
Posted 19.10.12
The Government has backed up the £125 million Green Deal incentive fund with another £40 million of support, now available for community-led energy efficiency initiatives.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey confirmed the new funding competition was seeking applications from local authorities and third-sector organisations keen to promote a range of energy-saving initiatives.
He said: "This funding will put local councils at the heart of action to get energy bills down - for instance, helping low-income householders upgrade old inefficient heating systems and insulate homes."
The funding will support three separate competitions with:
Interested parties have until the end of November to lodge applications that demonstrate the proposed project's impact on fuel poverty, cost effectiveness, and potential to leverage further investment.
The launch of the competition follows the announcement that households that undertake energy-efficiency improvements through an approved Green Deal provider will be eligible for payments worth up to £1,000 from next January.
The incentives are intended to drive rapid take up of the Green Deal scheme, which allows people to install energy-saving measures at no upfront cost and then pay for them through a small levy on their energy bill that is lower than the savings they realise from the efficiency improvements.
Source - Business Green.
