At the time of writing there is a record amount of capital funding available for energy efficiency measures being thrown at households, mainly low-income households, and older homes with lower energy performance certificate ratings. Households are being targeted on the basis of postcode and whoever shouts the loudest. Some types of home are cherry-picked, to the confusion and dismay of those households who are being left behind for reasons nobody can adequately explain to them.
If you are a householder, or a voluntary organisation working with householders, then here are some questions to consider about whether these offers are in the best interests of the householder and their home.
- What happens if there is existing disrepair to the house, that needs to be remediated before the energy efficiency work can be carried out? Does the scheme pay for it? Or does the householder pay for it? Does the offer of funding get withdrawn if the remedial work cannot be completed in time?
- Who assesses the home and recommends what measures the home should have? Is this an independent and bespoke assessment, or is it done for the benefit of the funder or scheme manager to meet their targets?
- Are there any aspects of the home that make it exceptionally difficult to treat? Think not only of solid walls, but end terrace gable ends; dormer windows; non-traditional construction.
- If the proposal includes internal wall insulation or external wall insulation, or a mixture of both, how will the scheme manage the risks of thermal bridging? Will they extend the roof? Will windows need to be repositioned or replaced? How will they comply with established good practice in solid wall insulation?
- Is floor insulation part of the recommended measures? How does the scheme manager propose to address thermal bridging where the floor meets the external walls?
- Is there impartial advice offered to households to enable them to make decisions about their home in conditions of psychological safety?
If you can get satisfactory answers to the above questions from the scheme manager then that’s great. If not, then you should seriously consider whether the offer is in the best interests of the householder, or whether there is a risk of damage to the home that will create a rebound for the householder at some point in the future, which nobody is going to help them with. We are under no obligation to cheerlead or grandstand for schemes that aren’t in the best interests of householders.
As the ECO4 scheme lurches from crisis to crisis, some installers and scheme managers are becoming desperate to spend money while they can. In some instances, large regional and national energy charities are encouraging smaller voluntary organisations to join in the gold rush. Some installers are withdrawing from ECO4, and they are to be admired for putting residents’ best interests ahead of short-term financial gain. We have to ask ourselves whether ECO is fit for purpose.
Do you need my help on retrofit for a house or a community? Please contact me to see how we can work together.