Currently around 27,000 work in the UK's insulation industry. Legislation to start the process of establishing the Green Deal is due to be introduced into Parliament next month.

The Green Deal is the Government’s new and radical way of making energy efficiency available to all, whether people own or rent their property. The work to upgrade the property will be paid back from the saving on energy bills.

The Green Deal, which is expected to be available from Autumn 2012, will be open to homes and businesses and will involve a 3-step process:

• Step 1 – an independent energy survey of the property, giving clear advice on the best energy efficiency options, such as loft or cavity wall insulation;
• Step 2 – Green Deal finance to be provided by a range of accredited providers, which will be repaid through savings on energy bills, making properties cheaper to run from day one;
• Step 3 – Homes and businesses will then receive their energy efficiency package. Only accredited measures will be installed by appropriately-qualified installers, overseen by Government, giving consumers confidence that the deal they are getting is high-quality and will save them money.

Industry reaction

In response to the news, Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said.

“The Green Deal could be the ideal complement to the Renewable Heat Incentive, which will be introduced in June next year. By integrating these two policies, the cost effectiveness of both is enhanced. It makes sense for homeowners to implement energy efficiency measures before installing renewable space heating, as it reduces the capital and running costs of the equipment; and the income stream from the RHI could help fund some of the more expensive energy efficiency measures. It’s the perfect way to do a green makeover for the home.”