Green Homes Grant must be backed by strong supply chain

The provision of high-quality insulation building products created by the £2 billion Green Homes Grant (GHG) scheme will need to be guaranteed to meet demand, says CCF.

Janeeth Green, Insulation Category Manager at CCF, explains: “Insulation is one of the three primary energy efficiency measures that homes must install one or more of in order to take advantage of the funding.

“The other primary options to consider are air source or ground source heat pumps, or solar thermal. When you consider the number of households eligible, this will require a strong supply chain to be able to meet demand for those products.”

The overall applications for the scheme will run into the hundreds of thousands according to projections made by the Government, says Chris Woollard, CCF Commercial Director, who adds: “An estimated 600,000 households across the UK could be eligible for the GHG scheme and will be able to apply for grants up to £10,000.

“On top of this, a further £500 million of funding will also be delivered through the Local Authority Delivery scheme, to improve the energy efficiency of low-income households.”

In order to be ready, the construction supply chain must prepare, confirms Craig Newman, National Sales Director: “As one of the leading insulation and interior building products distributors in the UK, CCF is committing to preparing for a potential surge in demand for solid wall, under-floor, cavity wall and roof insulation.

“Having an ample supply of insulation available for approved GHG scheme contractors nationwide will help to keep projects running smoothly and avoid costly delays.”

Janeeth Green, Insulation Category Manager, concludes: “The UK is heading towards a low-carbon future and effective insulation is central to achieving this ambition.

“Without adequate insulation, low-carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps will not work as well, which is a real concern for the UK’s existing housing stock. It is therefore important that we help as many households take advantage of the scheme as possible, by providing insulation that will improve the efficiency of homes in England.”