There is a new government scheme to cut energy use in homes and businesses which is due to start in 2012, probably in October. This Green Deal will offer both a professional assessment of individual buildings to see whether investment in insulation or renewables will really save money, and, if the answer is yes, the possibility of a loan to cover investment cost which will be repaid from the savings on the occupant’s energy bills. So there will be no upfront cost for the home improvements, a cost which has put many people off doing anything about energy saving.
The Green Deal scheme is still being finalised and we shall doubtless hear much more about the details in the next few months. One important thing is that the scheme applies to all kinds of houses including those hard to insulate like ones with solid wall construction. Providing the expert assessors (many of whom have still to be trained) can do their job, the advice on what to do may be as valuable as the provision of the subsequent loan. Meanwhile there will be a chance in May 2012 to find out a lot more about what other people in the Cambridge area have been doing in practice in terms of innovation in insulation and installing renewable energy systems. The Cambridge Open Ecohomes will be operating again, with many houses to visit. Watch this space and see http://cambridgecarbonfootprint.org/blog/open-eco-houses/ (2012 information coming soon).
