tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post5779619586282303418..comments2024-03-17T01:18:57.974-07:00Comments on Surveying Property: Green Deal – Five reasons why take up is so slowGary O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15686620694822791314noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-31965727751177208382013-11-22T01:31:07.621-08:002013-11-22T01:31:07.621-08:00I'd like to throw in a tangental thought here ...I'd like to throw in a tangental thought here if possible? - With such a significant amount of the housing stock being rented I am interested to understand why there is no carrot or stick incentive to get these properties more efficient and cost effective to run. Having rented for for over 4 years between owning houses, we found ourselves in several rental properties with practically no insulation measures at all. On two occasions we asked for some insulation to be installed and were met with a 'No' because it cost the landlord and provided no benefit to them. One house was an F rating the other was an amazing G rating and became known as 'The fridge' to family and friends. <br /><br />If you have to achieve a D rating before you can have PV panels installed as a house owner then surely it is reasonable to have a house achieve a D rating before it is let to the market? Or am I being nieve here?<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-42253632743629097802013-11-13T13:22:02.590-08:002013-11-13T13:22:02.590-08:00Worth mentioning also that as the Energy companies...Worth mentioning also that as the Energy companies have admitted, they are passing on the cost to them of the Green Deal (as it hits their profits) on to the consumer in raising energy prices. Thus the poor consumer will end up paying for their GD "improvements" not once but twice. Also the EC has a problem with the VAT relief the govt. has awarded the GD- this was intended for social programmes, and the GD May be many things, but it is no social programme.Michael Frielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12524409343051728068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-57441033605909366022013-10-12T01:37:13.003-07:002013-10-12T01:37:13.003-07:00My main concern as a conservation minded architect...My main concern as a conservation minded architect is the damage that could be done to milions of unlisted properties by "improvements" such as external insulation and the failiure of assesors to understand traditional construction. One only has to look at the immense damage done to our heritage by the upvc window industry.Richard Hutchingshttp://www.richardhutchings.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-70096858630183661902013-09-12T03:48:39.823-07:002013-09-12T03:48:39.823-07:00Tape measures are rarely used for measuring areas ...Tape measures are rarely used for measuring areas now as the previous comment suggested. Yes it is an EPC! plus the occupancy data which personalises the standardised EPC data to the property and its occupiers.<br /><br />I am not keen on your assumption that the Providers will absorb the cost of the assessment. At a stroke you take out all the independent small Assessors there to get the best for their client the homeowner rather than what will provide the Assessors tied to Providers with the best commission. Although the Code of Practice is there, all you have to do is say to the occupier that you have finished the assessment and are now acting in a sales capacity....! We would look for Providers to absorb the cost of our assessments within a Green deal Plan but they don't have to.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-56109672740597681122013-09-11T11:04:23.257-07:002013-09-11T11:04:23.257-07:00Love that video, was she for real? It is not a lot...Love that video, was she for real? It is not a lot like an EPC it is an EPC and since when did the Green Deal Occupancy Assessment ask about lighting in standard lamps? Someone also needs to buy her a laser measure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-84089479792488060582013-07-23T12:45:31.783-07:002013-07-23T12:45:31.783-07:00Chris,
Thank you very much for taking the time to...Chris,<br /><br />Thank you very much for taking the time to produce such a comprehensive response to my article.<br /><br />I understand your point about consumers being convinced that they will be no worse off, however interest/take up to date suggests that this point is not coming across to the general public, which emphasises the need for better awareness.<br /><br />Green Deal enhancements will be an obvious improvement to a property, however this may be the opinion of a seller who had them installed, however, a buyer, particularly one with little to no understanding of Green Deal may not see it this way and may object to taking on any outstanding loan payments through there energy bills. This is where there could be a perceived blight on the property, which may require additional negotiation. Of course the seller always has the option to pay off the Green Deal loan.<br /><br />You make some interesting points and once again I would like to thank you for your response.<br /><br />Kind regard<br /><br />GaryGary O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15686620694822791314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-66390408009002094942013-07-23T12:34:29.747-07:002013-07-23T12:34:29.747-07:00Tim,
Thank you very much for your response.
A ...Tim,<br /><br />Thank you very much for your response. <br /><br />A very interesting paper which I think provides a very good assessments of Green Deal with some sensible suggestions on a way forward. I would recommend the paper to my readers who can find it by copying and pasting the URL provided above, by Tim, into your browser.<br /><br />Kind regards<br /><br />GaryGary O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15686620694822791314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-19058041753620981052013-07-22T11:38:38.861-07:002013-07-22T11:38:38.861-07:00Hi Gary,
I think your opening gambit is a fair su...Hi Gary,<br /><br />I think your opening gambit is a fair summary - awareness needs to be improved - but I also think your blog makes a few oversights:<br /><br />Your first reason mentions an upfront cost to the consumer and a sense of burden because of the loan. In reality I think the Green Deal Providers (who are most likely to promote the scheme and therefore take the initial instructions to conduct an assessment) will bear the burden of the upfront cost and incorporate it into the loan (I know, it's not an ideal model as the consumer is free to take their Green Deal assessment to another provider...). Secondly, one of the key points the assessor will make to the consumer is that they will be no worse off. That is a fairly easy concept to understand for any consumer - and it's what underpins the whole assessment.<br /><br />Your fourth reason mentions the Green Deal being a blight on the property. I think most people will agree that an obvious improvement to a property is not a blight. The majority of improvements that are made under the Green Deal which meet the golden rule and are therefore 100% financed under the scheme (this would most likely exclude PV, wind turbines, micro CHP and EWI) will, at the most, be no more than the cost of a new boiler. In the context of average house prices a Green Deal loan registered on a property is going to be a fairly small negotiating point in most cases. And the part financed stuff? Well if someone has gone to the expense of part financing a major energy efficiency measure that falls outside of the golden rule then the chances are they are probably not planning on putting their house on the market anytime soon! <br /><br />Your fifth reason raises the point of awareness of technologies: the majority of the 40 or so measures available under the Green Deal are passive and require no operating eg; insulation, draught proofing, double glazing, insulated doors etc. It is true that many people do not put much thought in to correctly setting their thermostats, timers, boiler settings and TRVs for best efficiency - however, that is an issue regardless of whether Green Deal measures have been implemented or not. And on that point - the assessor has to make a return visit after the measures have been installed to conduct a final energy assessment and explain best and correct use of any technologies that have been installed.<br /><br />Granted, the Green Deal is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination and some tweaks are definitely needed but it is not totally lacking in logic; unfortunately, what is lacking is robust and positive explanation and promotion to the public.<br /><br />Kind regards<br />Chris<br />Proudhouse Property Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09162113065470271390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-42766269130707371452013-07-22T03:41:05.555-07:002013-07-22T03:41:05.555-07:00Gary--this is an interesting article. You may like...Gary--this is an interesting article. You may like to see the School of Construction Management & Engineering (University of Reading) response to the APPG on Sustainable Construction, which included a discussion on the Green Deal: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/files/press/tim-dixon-green-deal-paper.pdf<br /><br />Tim Dixon, Chair in Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment<br />School of Construction Management and Engineering<br />University of Reading<br />Tim Dixonhttp://www.reading.ac.uk/CME/about/staff/t-j-dixon.aspxnoreply@blogger.com