GGF calls for change following latest Green Deal figures
Following the recent Government statistics on Green Deal and ECO (Energy Company Obligation), the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) remains adamant that the Government has to change Green Deal in order to make it workable for the Glass and Glazing Industry.
The latest Green Deal figures were released on 19 September 2013. The key points are listed below:
Assessments
• 71,210 assessments were lodged up to the end of August 2013
• 13,086 assessments in August was 4% lower than the number in July (13,645).
Green Deal Plans
• 677 Green Deal Plans were in the system for individual properties as at the end of August, compared to 419 at the end of July.
• Of the 677 above, 293 were ‘new’ Green Deal Plans (quotes accepted)
• 372 of the 677 have moved to ‘pending’ (Plan signed)
• 12 Green Deal Plans were ‘live’ (i.e. the measures have been installed)
Cash Back Vouchers
• By the end of August, 8,404 Cashback Vouchers had been issued, and of these, 5,733 vouchers had been paid (following installation of measures) with a value of £1.6 million. The majority of vouchers paid to date were in June and virtually all have been for boiler replacements.
ECO Measures
• The latest figures show there were 194,751 measures installed under ECO up to the end of July.
• The number of ECO measures installed in July (44,917) was 32 per cent higher than the number of measures installed in June (34,017).
• The majority of all measures installed under ECO to date were for loft insulation (40 per cent of all ECO measures), cavity wall insulation (34 per cent) and boiler upgrades (21 per cent). All solid wall insulation types accounted for four per cent.
• 51 window installations have happened under ECO
• ECO brokerage - £205 million worth of contracts had been let through ECO brokerage up to end of August compared to £175 million at the end of July (Chart 5)
Green Deal Supply Chain
• 101 Green Deal Providers had been authorised up to the end of August.
• 269 Green Deal Assessor Organisations and the 2,332 Green Deal Advisors they employ had been accredited up to the end of August
• 1,662 Green Deal Certified installers of which only 80 are certified to install replacement windows.
On seeing the latest figures Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive commented, “It is unfortunate that our predictions for the last few years are turning out to be accurate and that Green Deal and ECO is simply not working for the glass and glazing industry. The Government needs to act swiftly to turn these figures around.”
The GGF has raised its Members’ concerns repeatedly at meetings with Government ministers, departments and officials outlining the issues and offering solutions.
Giles Willson, GGF Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Technical Affairs commented, “The Green Deal is not only too complicated and unattractive to consumers but it is also not necessarily improving energy efficiency in homes. To have only 51 window installations out of almost 195,000 measures shows that Green Deal and ECO is not delivering the whole house approach. Is there really any point in getting loft insulation if the property is losing heat through energy inefficient windows?”
Nigel Rees concludes, “Despite these disappointing figures, we have to remain positive and continue our dialogue with Government in the hope that changes will be made. We would like to see the scheme become less complicated and also offer better incentives to homeowners and installers. It is encouraging to hear the Government are considering changing the cashback voucher scheme, so that homeowners would not have to use a Green Deal Provider to claim cashback. Another option the Government could consider, is to perhaps re-direct some of the cashback money to fund free Green Deal assessments.”
The GGF will continue to work with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to try and make Green Deal and ECO advantageous to its Members and the wider industry.
To read the latest Green Deal Statistical Report in full please click here
