Energy efficiency and renewable energy measures could soon be sporting a government-backed quality mark if the recommendations of a long-awaited sector review are adopted.
The long-awaited Bonfield Review suggests a widely recognised quality mark would boost consumer confidence and protection in the energy efficiency marketplace.
The government's review of domestic energy efficiency and renewable energy standards was first launched last year in response to the controversial shake-up of green building policies, including the scrapping of the beleaguered Green Deal loan scheme.
Chaired by Dr Peter Bonfield - chief executive of the BRE Group - the 'Each Home Counts' review set out to consider issues relating to consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement in relation to home energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the UK.
The Bonfield Review’s strong focus on quality should be welcomed by industry, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Bonfield is right to focus on improving quality – both the technical quality of energy efficiency improvement work and the quality of customer service experienced by the consumer.
"The energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors, like the wider domestic building industry, remain largely under-regulated, with too few checks to protect consumers from poor quality builders. In the absence of a licensing system for domestic building work, as occurs in Canada and Australia, we must look at other ways of raising standards and boosting quality. Indeed, the FMB’s own strategy for the past few years has been very much aligned with this aspiration. We already ensure that any company wanting to join the FMB undergoes an independent inspection as well as having to adhere to a Code of Practice, as recommended by Bonfield in his report.
“The FMB is also fully behind the drive for higher levels of consumer confidence as this is itself a prerequisite for greater demand for energy efficiency measures. However, this quality and confidence alone will not be sufficient to drive the quantity of low carbon refurbishment which will be necessary to upgrade the UK’s housings stock and make sure the UK meets its legally binding target by 2050.
"We also need financial incentives from the Government to encourage home owners to invest in these improvements. Industry can and will support higher standards but only the Government can ensure sufficient demand.”
Nearly 18 months in the making, the review has faced criticism due to its scheduled launch, originally slated for April 2016, being delayed as a result of local elections and the EU referendum campaign earlier this year.
Now published, the review sets out 27 recommendations covering consumer protection, compliance and enforcement, standards, insulation, home energy technologies, smart meters and social housing.
It urges stronger collaboration between public and private sectors and consumers, and calls for progress on its recommendations to be openly reported on by the government on an annual basis until at least 2020.
Industry stakeholders are now set to develop detailed plans to implement the vision set out in the report, with feedback on the Bonfield Review's recommendations sought until January 31 2017.
