Professional Builders Merchant

Our fears over the negative impact of the Green Deal on the insulation industry and indeed carbon targets, have been confirmed today in no uncertain terms with the announcement of the Government’s own figures.   

Whilst installations of solid wall insulation are expected to rise considerably under the scheme, loft and cavity wall installations will significantly drop to a fraction of the level needed to hit wider carbon reduction targets set by the Committee of Climate Change.  Predicted reductions in the number of homes being helped under the Green Deal have been put down to low projected uptake of the scheme, with current initiatives such as CERT, which subsidise loft and cavity wall insulation set to finish by the end of this year.

Upgrading the thermal efficiency of properties through loft or cavity wall insulation is one of the easiest and cheapest means of reducing energy use and carbon emissions.  However despite this, the expected lack of focus on lofts and cavities in the funded residential refurbishment market will result in a significant impact overall for glass mineral wool manufacturers, consumers, installers and indeed the Government.

Following this news, urgent action is now needed by the Government to ensure the Green Deal is successful in transforming the UK’s housing stock, through other measures to drive early adoption, such as stamp duty concessions, council tax rebates and VAT changes.  Knauf Insulation fully back the recommendations put forward by the Commission for Climate Change that the Government re-thinks current proposals and scales up the ambition of the Green Deal to ensure ambitious energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction targets are met.

John Sinfield is MD at Knauf Insulation

» For more information visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk