"Thousands of new insulation workers will soon be hitting Britain’s streets as part of a national effort to make people’s homes warmer and cheaper to run. Chris Huhne, today said that by 2015 up to 100,000 Green Deal workers could be employed in the effort to upgrade Britain’s homes. Currently around 27,000 work in the insulation industry. Legislation to start the process of establishing the Green Deal is due to be introduced into Parliament next month.The Green Deal is the Government’s new and radical way of making energy efficiency available to all, whether people own or rent their property. The work to upgrade the property will be paid back from the saving on energy bills.Chris Huhne, visiting British Gas’ Energy Academy in Thatcham, said:“The Green Deal’s about making people feel as warm as toast in their homes. I want Britain to say goodbye forever to leaky lofts and chilly draughts. At a time of increasing gas prices energy efficiency is a no-brainer."
This is from the http://www.decc.gov.uk/ website. There is a leaflet on the Green Deal that is also available to download from this website which goes on to explain that 3.5 million homes will be insulated in the run up to the Green Deal.
Part of the leaflet states "Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) the Government requires all major, domestic energy suppliers to make savings in the amount of CO2 emitted by households. CERT helps reduce energy demand; enhance the UK’s security of supply; reduce fuel poverty; and, secure jobs in energy efficiency industries. In June 2010 the new Government extended the scheme to ensure 3.5 million new homes can benefit by 2012, providing an additional 107 MtCO2 in carbon savings"
I can only hope that these "thousands of insulation workers" will be 1. regulated, 2. a thorough assessment of the required amount of insulation workers will take place, 3. training providers will be kept in check.
When I read further through I found this "Chris Huhne announces that “were all 26 million households to take up the Green Deal over the next 20 years, employment in the sector would rise from its current level of 27,000 to something approaching 250,000” I know I keep rabbiting on about this (sorry in advance) but please get a grip on the training providers - there are some fantastic ones out there (Elmhurst, SAVA, ECMK etc) but there are also the ones that are promising the moon and the stars and are giving the industry a bad name. Also (sorry soapbox again) cap the amount of people allowed to train for the green profession and set the fees like the Australian Government did.
The direct gov website is getting better - its still not positive enough for me, but compared to a year ago there are alot more details on there about how to save money when you move home. The website can be reached on this link http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Greenerlifeevents/DG_064436. It is a shame though that the EPC is only mentioned once on this page and then only very briefly. I did enjoy reading about the microgeneration technologies and it is explained simply so it doesn't get confusing.
Showing posts with label Elmhurst. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elmhurst. Show all posts
Friday, 12 November 2010
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Energy efficiency in the USA?
I was browsing through the internet again (not really I have a bee in my bonnet now about finding out what other countries are doing re EPCs) and found this blog: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/11/energy-efficiency-real-estates-next-granite-counter-top
" Often on the vanguard, Boston-based Conservation Services Group is working on an idea to make home efficiency more tangible. It is a surprisingly simple idea. One that is likely to leave a lot of people saying, ‘Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?’
You might say CSG is making energy efficiency the next granite kitchen counter top of the real estate business.
Through a $348,000 grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, CSG is working on a metric to describe a home’s energy efficiency value. When a homeowner lists a house for sale, the metric would be included in the multiple listing service (MLS), right along with the home’s price, number of bedrooms, square-footage and location. Suddenly, efficiency is tangible, something that can be quantified and can add or detract to home value.It’s not yet clear what that metric will look like. It might be a numerical score or a certification like the Energy Star label. Figuring that out is part of CSG’s task, as it puts in place a program for New York over the next two years. “You can imagine the pitfalls in establishing what this score would be,” said David Weitz, director of CSG’s Applied Building Science Division. “How do you present it in a way that is accessible to the greatest number of people. Unfortunately, there is no right answer.”
Well there is an answer - look at what the UK has had in place since 2007 and what Australia is putting into place in 2011. Talk to Elmhurst (based nr Lutterworth, Leicestershire) who are incredibly forward thinking and have been in the industry since the year dot. Or pick up a phone/write an email and talk to me (power of positive thinking - or wishful thinking).
I blogged today about the problems Australia is currently undergoing and the fact that training providers are still lurking all around the UK, the UK also don't know at the moment what will happen with the home energy advisors (please let it be open for DEAs first and only) and am now hoping that America does learn from what has happened here and in Australia and doesn't let training providers run riot, caps the amount of assessors there can be, promoted the energy assessment thoroughly and sets the fee to stop undercutting etc.
Energy efficency can be tangible, it is a selling point and it should be valued more than it is.
" Often on the vanguard, Boston-based Conservation Services Group is working on an idea to make home efficiency more tangible. It is a surprisingly simple idea. One that is likely to leave a lot of people saying, ‘Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?’
You might say CSG is making energy efficiency the next granite kitchen counter top of the real estate business.
Through a $348,000 grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, CSG is working on a metric to describe a home’s energy efficiency value. When a homeowner lists a house for sale, the metric would be included in the multiple listing service (MLS), right along with the home’s price, number of bedrooms, square-footage and location. Suddenly, efficiency is tangible, something that can be quantified and can add or detract to home value.It’s not yet clear what that metric will look like. It might be a numerical score or a certification like the Energy Star label. Figuring that out is part of CSG’s task, as it puts in place a program for New York over the next two years. “You can imagine the pitfalls in establishing what this score would be,” said David Weitz, director of CSG’s Applied Building Science Division. “How do you present it in a way that is accessible to the greatest number of people. Unfortunately, there is no right answer.”
Well there is an answer - look at what the UK has had in place since 2007 and what Australia is putting into place in 2011. Talk to Elmhurst (based nr Lutterworth, Leicestershire) who are incredibly forward thinking and have been in the industry since the year dot. Or pick up a phone/write an email and talk to me (power of positive thinking - or wishful thinking).
I blogged today about the problems Australia is currently undergoing and the fact that training providers are still lurking all around the UK, the UK also don't know at the moment what will happen with the home energy advisors (please let it be open for DEAs first and only) and am now hoping that America does learn from what has happened here and in Australia and doesn't let training providers run riot, caps the amount of assessors there can be, promoted the energy assessment thoroughly and sets the fee to stop undercutting etc.
Energy efficency can be tangible, it is a selling point and it should be valued more than it is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)