Is the Green Deal ready?
Lauded as 'one of the most ambitious projects any government has ever embarked upon', the Green Deal is designed to encourage the take up of energy efficiency measures by UK homes and businesses.
Funded by private finance from the likes of supermarkets, home improvement stores and the Green Deal Finance Company, consumers will be advanced loans to pay for improvements such as cavity wall insulation, double glazing or new boilers.
In the run-up to its implementation there is growing scepticism as to who it will benefit, with fear among small businesses that they will be priced out of the market by financiers and big companies.
This issue was up for debate at a parliamentary roundtable discussion amongst MPs, and members of the Dods Green Deal Dialogue.
James Lee of the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) raised the concern of GGF members, that they will be priced out of the market.
"Our members feel they don't have any control around assessment criteria, which could potentially be used by large multinationals to incentivise homeowners", he said.
Reiterating this point, Conservative MP Steve Brine raised the likelihood of larger market players pricing smaller businesses out of the market, through the provision of extra products and services for free. Something smaller businesses will not be able to compete with.
Labour MP Dr Alan Whitehead said he was hoping secondary legislation would iron out certain elements of the scheme, particularly in ensuring small businesses are not left out of the scheme and thus unable to tender.
In terms of ensuring the consumer benefits from measures in the Green Deal, Liberal Democrat MP John Leech pushed on the need for checks and balances that guarantee service level. He drew on the fact that consumers have been "ripped off" in the past, using the example of loft insulation that has never been installed.
Neil Pennell from Land Securities, said there is a danger that unchecked providers could 'push their own products' into consumer houses that already have a good energy performance.
In partnership with the Dods Green Deal Dialogue, Dods will hold a Green Deal Business Summit at the IET in Birmingham on Friday 20th July.
Find out more information here.
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