More than 1000 companies have now signed up for Green Deal installer status with NICEIC – the leading certification body for Green Deal.
Vine Construction based in Middlesex were the 1000th firm to be certified. The firm specialises in building maintenance and property refurbishment and is looking to offer the Green Deal service as an extra benefit to its clients.
Managing director, Gerry Keane, said: “We have been doing a lot of insulation and rendering work lately so it made sense really.
“A few of our customers have enquired or asked us about Green Deal so there seems to be a market for it.”
After a sluggish start consumer interest in Green Deal has picked up in recent months with 129,842 Green Deal assessments lodged up until the end of December. *
Research published by DECC recently also revealed 81% of households who had a Green Deal assessment carried out said they have, are getting or intend to install at least one energy saving measure.
Green Deal provides an incentive for householders and businesses to install energy efficient measures by off – setting the cost through savings in energy bills. It is designed to make energy efficiency easy and affordable with aims to reach up to 14 million properties by 2020.
Paul Collins, head of operations at NICEIC, commented: “The government is committed to ensuring that all work undertaken via Green Deal is carried out by registered firms and with interest in the initiative now ramping up we are seeing more and more firms look to get involved.
“We have witnessed a large number of skilled professionals such as electricians, plumbers, heating and gas engineers come to NICEIC for certification as it is a name associated with quality and assurance.”
Any business wishing to undertake work under the Green Deal as an installer must have certification against the Green Deal Installer Standard – PAS 2030: Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings – Specification for installation procedures, process management and service provision.
For organisations that are familiar with the requirements of the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme (MCS), this should be familiar territory.
*figures from DECC report