Green build NEWS

Industry has reacted to government response to the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

The National Landlords Association (NLA) branded the Affordable Warmth section of the ECO updates ineffective and recycled and warned that unless further changes were made the Green Deal would ‘fail’. 

Chris Norris, head of policy at the NLA, said: “The Affordable Warmth element of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) largely recreates existing policies that have failed to achieve any results in the private-rented sector.

“For this to work the Government must learn from their previous mistakes and realise that the Affordable Warmth Obligation of ECO is far from practical. Unless key elements of ECO are reviewed, the Government’s flagship scheme to alleviate ‘fuel poverty’ will fail.”

Meanwhile Climate Energy’s head of Green Deal Gary Worthington welcomed the introduction of the Carbon Saving Communities Obligation and the decision to allow non-standard cavity wall improvements with ECO funding. He emphasises Climate Energy’s concern over government indecision on its £200m kick-start fund.

He said: “We think the current plans to use this purely as a cash-back incentive over the next two years are misguided and that could be used much more creatively to support regional schemes, local innovations, jobs, communities and delivery to give take-up an initial boost.”