A Green Deal blessing in disguise for Secretary of State?

Chris Huhne by Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Chris Huhne’s recent departure as Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, might be a blessing in disguise for him, bearing in mind the somewhat fragile state of the government’s Green Deal initiative.

Green Deal has the potential to play  an important role in the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy and could be a positive policy in helping to deliver cost effective emissions reductions and lead the private sector forward.

President of the NHIC, the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford, MP, says: ‘The challenge of improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock to meet our carbon reduction is massive. This is why we need a detailed arrangement such as Green Deal to inspire confidence in both the public sector and the construction industry .’

But with its important consultation phase now complete it seems that this controversial schem faces something of an uphill struggle if it is to succeed!

There were many comments raised by numerous organisations about how Green Deal and its ‘Golden Rule’ could operate efficiently and especially the proposed relationship between the Installer, Providers and Independent Assessors.

The National Home Improvement Council is closely involved in brining together several Providers, such as the big retail organisations and energy companies, with some 30000 Installer SMEs represented by the SECC Group, plus the NSCC, FNMB, TrustMark, NICEIC and the HVCA, soon to become the Building & Services Engineering Association.

It is apparent that replies to the consultation raise concerns that the rationale for some decisions is not sufficiently well covered and that there are key issued concerning the real scope of Providers who may well end up dominating the energy efficiency home improvement market!

Photo of Chris Huhne by Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters