Green home upgrades are being held back by the lack of a clear long-term plan from the government, new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has found
Builders were asked to identify the biggest barrier to installing more energy efficiency measures, in line with the UK government’s target to get as many homes as possible to EPC rating C by 2035.
Research found:
- A lack of a clear pipeline of work – 26% of respondents
- A lack of available finance for consumers – 19%
- A lack of consumer awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency measures – 17%
- A lack of capacity and skills in the construction workforce – 16%
- Don’t know – 15%
- None of these – 6%.
These figures were issued on the same day that the FMB found just 3 out of 250 builders who have expressed an interest in the Green Homes Grant scheme have so far completed the necessary registration and training.
‘Cash to go green’
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “Without a long-term government plan for making our homes greener and more energy-efficient, we won’t be able to tackle fuel poverty, end preventable winter deaths, or meet the UK’s climate change targets.
“Builders don’t yet have the confidence they need in the domestic energy efficiency market to invest in their businesses and start offering these services to homeowners.
“Low engagement in the Green Homes Grant scheme has illustrated this problem, with just three Master Builders becoming accredited to deliver this work since the scheme’s launch.
“A long-term plan, in the form of a National Retrofit Strategy, would address these concerns.
“A National Retrofit Strategy would need to be underpinned by a package of fiscal incentives that helps consumers to do their bit for the environment.
“With one in five builders saying clients do not have the cash to go green, the government should temporarily cut VAT on home improvements so that more capital is available for homeowners to do the extension they want while also improving the energy efficiency of their home.
“It is also essential that the government funds and makes available the necessary training courses for builders so that they can get accredited to deliver green home upgrades, and to a quality standard.”
I spoke with a Trustmark-registered builder recently about why so few builders have bothered registering with Trustmark. Just as with the abortive Green Deal of 2015-16 he commented:
1. incredibly expensive, bureaucratic and time-consuming to register and qualify and do all the necessary training and paperwork. These costs are passed on to the consumer, who then feels Trustmark builders are expensive and decide not to proceed.
2. Some improvement because registered builders can now appoint non-registered subcontractors, though the builder remains responsible for the quality of the work.
3. Very poor Trustmark website, with search completely dependent on the (quickly out-of-date) metadata provided by the builders, so it is hard for consumers to find builders for, say, external insulation in their area.
4. Small firms have gone bankrupt by excess quoting: consumers attracted by the grant ask for a detailed quote, then see the final figures, and back away, and all the cost of the quote falls on the builder, who then puts up his or her prices for everyone to compensate.
Unless they quickly change the scheme and introduce a simpler way of validating the quality of the work and eligibility to receive the grant – perhaps fee-based inspections by Building Control, an architect or a surveyor? – this Green Homes Grant is going to fail, just like the Green Deal.