Are Windows The Real Green Deal?

There is growing concern that replacement windows may not qualify for funding under the Government’s proposed Green Deal. The Energy Bill published last week set out the broad framework for the Green Deal, with the detail to be developed over the next two years.  At the heart of the proposals is the ‘golden rule’ that the upfront cost of any building improvements funded by the Deal must be recovered through savings on energy bills over a specified period (expected to be 25 years).  There is some doubt as to whether the payback from installing new energy efficient windows is sufficient to include them in the Green Deal. Green Deal advisers will recommend improvements to buildings, drawing on a list of approved measures, based on the criteria set by ministers for eligibility for Green Deal finance.  A corresponding list of products, materials and specification standards will be contained in a publicly available Code of Practice, updated regularly to enable a dynamic market in technological improvement. The Glass & Glazing Federation is co-ordinating a survey through the other fenestration trade associations, including the BWF, to provide evidence that the energy savings do justify including windows on this list. The Green Deal will establish a framework to enable private firms to offer energy efficiency improvements to homes and businesses at no upfront cost, with the costs recovered through an additional charge on energy bills, so the savings can be seen. A network of Green Deal providers will be developed to offer Green Deal plans to customers, which will enables them to finance work recommended by an accredited adviser and undertaken by an accredited installer.  The independent certification of advisers and installers is seen as a vital reassurance to consumers, and so a Green Deal quality mark, similar to Gas Safe or Trustmark, will be developed to be used by certificated companies.