The Green Deal, introduced in 2010, forms part of the Government’s ‘Energy Bill’ and is designed to revolutionise the energy efficiency of British properties.
It is estimated that the average home in the UK could save around £550 per year by installing certain energy saving measures. However, the majority of householders would struggle to pay upfront for these measures, or would be reluctant to take out a bank loan to cover these costs.
The Green Deal is a framework that allows consumers to improve the energy efficiency of their homes at no upfront cost. Improvements are carried out by private firms and the repayments are recouped in instalments via energy bills.
At the heart of the Green Deal is a simple rule:
Estimated savings on bills will always equal or exceed the cost of the work.
The Green Deal must meet the following principles:
- The measure installed with Green Deal Finance must be approved and the claimed bill savings must be those accredited through the Green Deal process.
- The measure installed must have been recommended for that property by an accredited, objective Green Deal Adviser who has carried out an assessment on the property.
- The measure must be installed by an accredited installer.
- For householders, the Green Deal provider must give appropriate advice within the terms of the Consumer Credit Act and take account of the individual circumstances of the applicant.
What is the current status of the Green Deal?
The Energy Act has been granted Royal Assent by parliament, paving the way for its flagship Green Deal policy to be launched in autumn 2012.
Lesley Ann White’s Accreditation body, Elmhurst Energy Systems has been approved for the Green Deal trial and is under contract to the Government to assist with the changes to RdSAP to support the Green Deal.
They are also consulting on the Green Deal qualifications and Accreditation Standards and will be able to provide appropriate training and qualifications for individuals to become Green Deal Advisors with training and accreditation options being launched early in 2012.
