New industry body says it will unlock Green Deal opportunities for SMEs

A new national body has launched, backed by major players, with the stated aim of unlocking opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Green Deal supply chain.

The new Energy Efficiency Partnership for Buildings (EEPB), backed by companies including npower, Strutt & Parker, Centrica, Kingfisher, Enact and Knauf Insulation, says it aims to become the “largest network” of Green Deal providers, financiers and service suppliers. It replaces the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes and will advise Government on the rollout of the Green Deal and the implementation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), with a primary aim of enabling SMEs to make the most of these new multi-billion pound energy efficiency initiatives.

The Government has said it wants SMEs to be play a major part in the delivery of its flagship Green Deal programme, which will enable householders to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes at no upfront cost from October 1 2012. It says it also wants smaller Green Deal providers to benefit from up to half of the ECO, a new initiative that will compel the big energy companies to provide £1.3 billion a year in energy efficiency upgrades for low income and hard to insulate homes under the Green Deal.

Last month, Energy Minister Greg Barker signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 22 companies, including seven SMEs, which pledged to work with the Coalition to help kickstart the Green Deal.

“Our priority working groups will be looking at how we overcome market barriers and unlock opportunities from Green Deal and ECO, especially for SMEs,” Dr David Strong, chairman of the EEPB, said.

Non-domestic market

Steven Heath, External Affairs director for Knauf Insulation, added that the EEPB would also help to address the challenges of delivering the Green Deal to the non-domestic sector. Last month, it emerged that the launch of the Green Deal for businesses would be delayed due to the complexities of the non-domestic building market.

“The Energy Efficiency Partnership for Buildings will be well placed to identify these complexities, offer solutions and act as a conduit for concerns between the energy efficiency supply chain and Government,” said Heath.

National Energy Foundation

A not-for-profit organisation, the EEPB has been established as a subsidiary of leading energy efficiency charity the National Energy Foundation, which was established over 20 years ago to reduce the use of energy in buildings.

“The focus of the EEPB in the coming year on effective implementation of the Green Deal also dovetails with several of our high profile programmes such as SuperHomes and Unlocking the Green Deal, and our work with Green Deal providers,” said John Walker, chairman of the National Energy Foundation.

The Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes set up in 1999 and represented 760 organisations across the energy efficiency supply chain.

Source: Green Wise