Miliband applauds Big Green Home initiative

Major new Big Green Home initiative launched jointly by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) and British Gas applauded by Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Speaking at a special Parliamentary lunch, he said it would help put Britain "at the forefront of energy efficiency measures in existing homes and show that we can lead the world on the drive towards low carbon.

Miliband said: "If we are going to get a global agreement in Copenhagen in December what Britain does now absolutely matters.

We need to be at the forefront and leading on the drive towards low carbon.

Because if we can do it then other countries can do it and we can then get the global agreement we need!".

"This [the Big Green Home] is so important because reducing carbon emissions can't be driven forward just by Government or just by energy companies, it also needs outside organisations as part of a big coalition.

So thank you very much for what you are doing, thank you for being part of this big coalition that we need and I look forward to the success of this initiative".

The main thrust of the Big Green Home initiative is to persuade private homeowners, social housing providers and private landlords, to bring their homes up to modern standards in order to meet the demands for future housing requirements, lower running costs and to maximise their energy efficiency.

At the centre of the initiative is a website (www.biggreenhome.org.uk) which will provide householders with the opportunity to identify the type and style of dwelling in which they live and then find out the requirements necessary to bring it into line with good energy efficiency and lifestyle practice.

By clicking onto the links provided they will be able to call on the exceptional expertise and product guidance provided by organisations such as British Gas and other Members of the NHIC President of the NHIC, The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP, says: "It's absolutely vital that we ensure that home renovation and improvement achieves effective changes in the real quality and high standards in terms of energy efficiency in people's homes.

We have to find ways to incentivise this and show home owners what can be achieved and the payback advantages of maximising energy efficiency.

"We know that we can't go on with as a carbon profligate society.

We are living in a world where there is a very serious threat that if we don't take effective action the kind of quality of life that current generations enjoy will simply not be available to our children and grand children.

"We know Britain contains a high proportion of older homes many of which are extremely poor in terms of their energy efficiency performance.

Changing it is fundamental to achieving a low carbon target.

"The Big Green Home initiative places the home improvement and renovation industry firmly alongside the Government's short and long term strategy to make the existing housing stock as energy efficient as possible" .

British Gas, a founder member of the NHIC, brings a very special dimension to the Big Green Home initiative because it already has in place a comprehensive package of features which concentrate on home improvement and energy cost savings.

Martin Orrill, Head of Energy Technology and Innovation, British Gas, says: "As the major UK energy supplier we are dedicated to creating low carbon homes which comply with the Government's energy efficiency strategy and reduce bills for the household.

"We firmly believe that by concentrating efforts on low carbon renovations and home improvements we can make a realistic and meaningful reduction in the amount of green houses gases we are generating as a nation.

In this respect, the Big Green Home should make a significant contribution.

"In addition we are committed to making all homes more affordable to run and to reduce the burden of fuel poverty on those households which are most susceptible to this problem".

The essence of the Big Green Home initiative involves the many and varied core house types that exist in the UK, especially those designed and built during the last century.

These range from Victorian/Edwardian, single-leaf brickwork small and large semi-detached and terraced houses, to the typical, mass-produced post war houses up to the early '80s and '90s, built with only very minimal attention to energy efficiency and limited regard for aspects of conservation including water conservation.

The Big Green Home website will concentrate on providing guidance and information on improving the basic elements of every home such as doors, windows, floors, walls, roofs, kitchens, bathrooms plus heating and hot water systems.

In each case the suggestion would be to provide a modern, long term solution that was efficient and appropriate to the style and dimensions of the property in question.

The information provided is intended to be precise, concise, and in an easily assimilated format with clear links to all the relevant NHIC Members products and services.

This would also include the viability of the spectrum of renewable energy solutions in the context of a well insulated property.

The website will also provide details on the availability of manageable financial arrangements, grants and other funding sources to make possible the provision of every householder's Big Green Home.

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