UK: The National Insulation Association (NIA) welcomed today’s announcement by Government of £3.5m of new funding to help the training of Green Deal assessors and insulation installers, ahead of the launch of the Green Deal later this year.
Neil Marshall, chief executive of the NIA commented: “We have been working closely with Government on plans to significantly ramp up Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) volumes under the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and identified the need for support for skills and training at an early stage. We therefore welcome today’s announcement that DECC and Construction Skills will be making £2.5m available for installer training and we look forward to working with them in the coming weeks to agree the most effective method of deploying the funds.”
Mr Marshall went on to say that NIA members were also actively looking to provide Green Deal Assessor services and therefore the £1m announced for assessor training could be very helpful in speeding up the training process.
Brian Smithers, business development director at Rexel UK said: “Training will make or break the Green Deal. In a complex and sometimes confusing market, it’s crucial that the industry has the skills to help consumers make informed energy decisions. There is still a widespread lack of understanding of how green technologies can help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce bills.
"Rexel’s recent energy efficiency survey found that over a quarter of Brits would be motivated to save energy if they had access to financial subsidies, yet 90% hadn’t heard of schemes such as Carbon Trust Loans. Rexel’s energy efficient Sigma Home at the BRE is one example of how to help industry better understand what can easily be achieved with available technologies. Building professionals are then better equipped to advise consumers.”
