Birmingham first to sign up Green Deal partner

Birmingham has become the first council in the country to appoint a delivery partner for the Green Deal, the government's new scheme to help people make their homes more energy efficient.

The energy and climate change minister, Greg Barker, visited Birmingham on 8 October to congratulate the city council and Carillion Energy Services on the partnership.

Birmingham Energy Savers

The Birmingham Energy Savers programme aims to refurbish around 60,000 homes and other buildings, creating more than 250 jobs and helping to cut the city's carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2026.

Last month, the Department of Energy and Climate Change awarded the council £2.6 million to kick-start Green Deal activity in the city. The council aims to raise a further £3.2 million in matched funding.

What is planned

The first projects include a community Green Deal, working with local community organisations to install energy-saving measures in 120 homes and ten public buildings; solid wall insulation and new heating in hard-to-treat tower blocks; a competition to find private landlords to demonstrate the benefits of the scheme; energy-saving improvements to up to ten council-owned industrial buildings; and a community heating system that could also supply surrounding homes.

How the Green Deal works

Under the Green Deal, households and businesses will be able to have energy-saving improvements, such as insulation and new boilers, installed without paying the cost up front. The cost is paid back over time through their energy bills, with the idea that the savings on bills should cover the repayments.

The framework for the scheme came into force on 1 October. From 28 January next year, Green Deal providers will be able to offer plans to customers, and the government estimates that around £1.3 billion of energy efficiency and heating measures will be delivered every year.

Why it matters for Birmingham

Many of Birmingham's homes are old and poorly insulated, making them expensive to heat. The city has thousands of Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses with solid walls, which lose heat quickly, as well as ageing council tower blocks.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes can cut bills for families, reduce fuel poverty and lower carbon emissions at the same time. The council also hopes the programme will create jobs for local people in installing the measures.

A climate commitment

The city council has set a target of cutting Birmingham's carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2026, and sees improving homes and buildings as one of the biggest ways to get there.

By being the first to sign up a delivery partner, Birmingham hopes to be ahead of other cities in making the most of the Green Deal when it launches fully next year.