NIA extremely concerned with latest Green Deal/ECO statistics and calls for urgent intervention.
Commenting on the latest Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) statistics published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on 20th August, Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the National Insulation Association (NIA) said: “The figures are extremely disappointing and of great concern. Whilst there was a small increase in the number of insulation installations in June compared to May the number of installations in 2013 remains well short of what is needed and there is no sign of the ramping up in volumes that is required.
“In its annual report in June the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) stressed the need to maintain and increase the pace of insulation installations to meet the Carbon Budgets. There are still 7m solid walls, 5m cavity walls and 7m lofts that need insulating in the UK.
“Based on 2012 levels this would require some 600k cavities, 1.2m lofts and over 80k Solid Walls to be insulated each year – which is achievable and would require levels of activity built up over many years to be maintained. However, over the first six months of 2013 GD/ECO have delivered at a rate equivalent to just 100,000 Cavity Wall, 135,000 Loft and 9,500 Solid Wall installations per annum which is very bad news for carbon savings, consumer’s energy bills and jobs in the insulation industry.
“The numbers of measures and associated carbon savings are also significantly below what was to be expected a fifth of the way through the ECO programme with cavity wall insulation 65% down and solid wall insulation nearly 90% down.”
Whilst the NIA is supportive of the Green Deal and ECO with the association and its members undertaking a wide range of activities to stimulate demand, given the continued lack of activity in these schemes the NIA is now calling for urgent intervention in order to accelerate the pace of insulation delivery and maximise the success of the Green Deal and ECO:
- Development of a robust delivery plan for insulation measures for the remainder of the current ECO to include agreed volumes for individual insulation measures and regular reporting against these to enable any slippage to be identified and acted upon.
- Simplification and standardisation of the ECO guidance to remove any blockers.
- Incentives for Local Authorities and Housing Associations to engage in joint funded ECO projects.
- The introduction of additional incentives and further regulation to minimise the delivery risks for insulation measures under the new policy framework that have been identified by the CCC.
- A high-profile, government-backed, national communications programme to increase awareness and understanding of the Green Deal and ECO amongst the general public.
For more information contact Duncan Murray at the NIA press office on 01327 701 702 or email Duncan@evolution-pr.co.uk