The “Green Deal” - it seems to be all over the news but what is it and how will it effect you. Very basically the Green Deal is to encourage homeowners and landlords make their properties more energy efficient and therefore lower carbon emissions from our homes.

Households will be able to borrow cash (up to £10,000) to make energy saving improvements to their homes. The money will be paid back to the utility provider through the energy savings on their bill.

Latest information coming from The Department for Energy and Climate Change seems to indicate that:

• Green Deal money will be available for a wide range of technologies including solar PV and thermal, ground and air source heat pumps, biomass boilers and Micro-CHP as well as insulation and draft proofing as originally announced.
• The key to what technology homeowners can use will be whether it meets the 'golden rule', i.e. where savings are equal to or greater than installation costs.
• There are plans to set up the new Green Deal Code – to protect customers at every stage of the Green Deal from initial assessment of their homes to installation.
• Green Deal advice line – this will provide impartial advice and referral to accredited Green Deal assessors, installers and providers as well as a route for any complaints.
• The formal appointment of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) – which will ensure assessors and installers adhere to robust standards in order to participate in the Green Deal.

So what should you be doing now to prepare for the “green revolution”? It is unclear at the moment what, if any rebates or incentives “early adopters” ie. those people who decide to incorporate green technologies into building works they are doing now, will be entitled to.

However, if you are undertaking any home improvements or building works you should be investigating your green options – you may find in choosing lighting (with associated fittings and controls) and water heating, particularly efficient taps and showers with good “green” credentials, you may be able to get money back in the future.

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