Green fingered trades people
Jun 8 2009 by Kelley Price, Evening Gazette
JUST one in six North East householders would trust a tradesperson’s green guidance, according to the latest research.
The Energy Saving Trust has launched Building In The Dark, a campaign to highlight the green skills gap among UK tradespeople. The trust also wants new housing sector quality standards and training programmes for energy efficiency.
One poll - of 2,362 people from across the UK - found that just 18% of North East respondents would trust the advice of the tradesperson already doing work in their house, if they offered to install energy efficiency measures; while 57% would suspect the tradesperson’s motivation was to get extra work if they suggested energy efficiency measures.
Hartlepool Housing is developing low-carbon sheltered housing at Albany Court in Hartlepool, which includes green technologies from air source heat pumps to solar panels and rainwater harvesting. Ground source heat pumps were considered but, after seeking advice from consultants, it was decided the technology was unsuitable.
“We only use accredited installers,” said Sylvia Thubron, Housing Hartlepool’s head of housing investment.
“We will use a technology as long as it’s a sensible option.”
Steve Hunter, head of the Energy Saving Trust for the North-east, Yorkshire and Humberside, said new training schemes and quality marks were needed for the housing sector to help identify skilled tradespeople.
“Latest figures show that £24bn is spent on repair, maintenance and improvement works on the UK housing stock and some of this work represents a missed opportunity to make green improvements for North-east residents.
“Real cost savings - in terms of labour and minimising disruption - are on offer to householders who employ tradespeople to install energy-efficiency measures when they are in doing other work.”
Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders said a Government VAT cut for property repairs would help increase demand for building work. “Coupling a VAT cut with more training for tradesmen should mean a real increase in energy efficient homes in the UK,” he said.
See tomorrow’s nebusiness for a full report on how Teesside’s growing home eco energy sector is stamping out the cowboys.
