www.heatingandventilating.net
BATHROOMS & SHOWERS
boilingpoint J
ohn Thompson, chief executive of the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) looks at what we know so far about the Government’s Green Homes Grant Scheme.
The Green Homes Grant Scheme was announced on 8 July 2020 by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his Summer Statement to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient. Once launched, the government will pay
two-thirds of energy efficient home improvements up to £5,000, with those on low incomes being able to receive up to £10,000. As well as planning to create thousands of new jobs, the Government believes the scheme will help the UK meet its 2020 target of achieving net zero carbon emissions through the installation of new, more efficient boilers, heat pumps, loft and floor insulation, energy-efficient lighting, double or triple glazed windows and energy efficient doors.
After all, today’s consumer expects more from a shower than a place to wash – they want an ‘experience’; a time out to luxuriate, relax and escape. There’s no denying digital showering is perfect for tech-savvy homeowners looking for a modern aesthetic, while benefiting from a range of innovative features. With all this in mind, it’s no wonder smart technology and digital showers represent the way forward for the modern installer and consumer.
In principle I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement regarding the Scheme as although in the main our members and the wider plumbing and heating sector have recommenced work activities, their work is somewhat scaled back from the first part of the year with much of the high value installation work being associated with orders placed prior to lockdown. I know for many businesses in our sector the low number of incoming work enquiries is becoming a concern especially as the signs are that the economy isn’t going to spring back quickly and that we are most likely facing a prolonged period economic decline. Therefore any scheme that financially incentivises homeowners and landlords to make their properties more energy efficient needs to be straight-forward. I have written to the Government to offer input in shaping the Scheme as it needs to learn from past schemes, such as Green Deal which was based on the PAS 2030 standard and was overly bureaucratic and failed to deliver on its core purpose. In my opinion the Green Homes Grant Scheme needs to be simple, just as the Boiler Scrappage Scheme was in terms of its simple administration arrangements and recognition of existing business competence schemes. This way the Scheme will be able to deliver quality installations and provide protection for homeowners without duplicating current requirements and adding unnecessary costs and bureaucracy for the installer. And let’s not forget the Boiler Scrappage Scheme was highly effective in delivering quality and value for money for the consumer.
Exact details on the eligibility criteria have not yet been released but applications for the Scheme will open in September.
Let’s hope it won’t be overly bureaucratic for homeowners and installers!
www.heatingandventilating.net
August 2020
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