A meeting of the ‘big six’ energy companies at Westminster is a positive step towards reducing fuel bills for British homes, believes the Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturer’s Association, but more must be done by Government and industry to raise awareness amongst consumers of installing adequate home insulation. Following requests from the Prime Minister and Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, the largest energy firms, along with Ofgem, are being requested to play a bigger part in helping to bring down bills for the coming winter. One of the key actions to be discussed is ensuring customers are aware of the savings available by taking up free or subsidised insulation programmes. John Sinfield, Chairman of MIMA, commented: “Whilst such a meeting is undoubtedly a move in the right direction, there is still a great deal to do when it comes to conveying the very tangible benefits of installation adequate loft and cavity wall insulation in the home. The key players in the energy market, as well as energy and Government need to make this a major focal point of any campaign to help being energy bills down this winter. “Under the CERT scheme suppliers are required to undertake a certain amount of professionally installed insulation measures. This is known as the Insulation Obligation, and according to figures from Ofgem, there is still a substantial gap between the number of installations and the set targets. “Engagement with customers is obviously key but we need to make sure that we’re connecting about the right things - and that is the importance of insulating all areas of the home as much as possible.”
