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Susie Andrews Group Environmental Sustainability Manager |
Susie Andrews - Group Environmental Sustainability Manager at Affinity Sutton
Since the launch of our FutureFit report a month ago, the debate and discourse around the Green Deal has continued to rage. No doubt it will keep going until we are given some framework to hang our discussion on in the form of the Energy Bill consultation, due later this month. At the moment the endless discussion can all seem a bit too much: can Government really get this right and ready to go in 12 months? A couple of weeks ago I took part in an online panel debate about Green Deal delivery, hosted by the Guardian, and there seemed to be many more questions than answers.
But this isn’t necessarily a negative thing. Those of us already engaged in the Green Deal are flexing our visionary muscles, turning the concept over and over with each other, and trying to look at as many angles as we can and pose all the questions that need to be answered so that the Green Deal will be something that people want and that will significantly help UK Plc towards its carbon reduction targets. Many of those taking part in the numerous discussions have considerable experience not only in retrofitting homes, but also in delivering other improvement programmes such as Decent Homes, and in working positively with residents. We know that the Green Deal has the potential to be what Government wants it to be, despite the obstacles that need to be overcome. But we need Government to ask the right questions in the consultation: how can we ensure people want to take up the Green Deal? How can we ensure large scale delivery? How can we maximise carbon savings? And then we need them to take heed of our answers.
Green Deal has huge potential in all market sectors, it is a deliverable program,but the government needs to take a more practicle approach to installation of the proposed measures. Social housing in particular is very difficult to complete due to thenumbers involved and more importantly the education of the tenants, apply 50mm of internal dry lining will cause distress and disruption,without much visual benfit nor financial gain.
ReplyDeleteThere is also the redecoration process to be considered and the unknown factors of building work and conformity.
Do you have any other tips to help me save on fuel?
ReplyDeleteGovernment incourages your Greendeal idea for carbon use?
All fancy ideas!! rejected before any evidence of consultation with residents.
"The FutureFit experience has shown that many residents are simply not interested in the retrofit agenda or having works undertaken to their homes – even when they are free. The answer to this must be a strategic approach which promotes warmer homes at a lower cost.”
Where is the evidence that tenents are too ignorant to opt for energy saving-(retrofit) Ive not heard of it until I stumbled upon it in my search for any chance of home insulation, which is on offer to most dweelings all over the UK.
Now, I feel rather insulted by these findings, I for one have never recieved a proposal form or the like?
To have any kind of vote in favour of keeping my fuel bills down would be most welcome.
I cant think why I would care about damage or disruption to the property? after all we are just "uneducated tenants" with blind faith & imaginary proposal questionaires popped through the post... Maybe an exclusive online survey provided this handy back out clause?