CEED 2000 energy efficiency conference

Citation

(2001), "CEED 2000 energy efficiency conference", Property Management, Vol. 19 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/pm.2001.11319bab.017

CEED 2000 energy efficiency conference

CEED 2000 energy efficiency conference

Keywords: Energy management, Efficiency

"Energy efficiency schemes are us" was the very topical theme for the CEED 2000 Conference, organised this month at Aston Villa, Birmingham, by the Council for Energy Efficiency Development for the insulation industry.

Lord Whitty was due to deliver a keynote speech on behalf of the Government, but was called away on Government business. His talk was read by Conference Chairman, Phillip Ward, Director, Energy Environment and Waste, at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

He discussed current and future expenditure on Government schemes. Some 70 per cent of the fuel-poor lived in private houses, the focus of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. With its funding of £600 million for the first four years, it would take 800,000 householders out of fuel poverty. The Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance Schemes – to be called Energy Efficiency Commitment – were being doubled to some £50 million a year between 2000 and 2002, when the scale would again be increased, requiring a trebling of the number of properties insulated. Around £2.5 billion was being provided to local authorities for housing investment in each of the next three years, with the aim of ensuring that all social housing is brought up to a decent standard by 2010, ending fuel poverty among social sector householders.

Lord Whitty "supported the effort of the Energy Efficiency Partnership's Insulation Strategy Group in producing a strategy to form the basis of a dialogue between industry, the energy suppliers, and local authorities to persuade them of the importance of insulation – and foster a stable and competitive insulation industry".

It was no coincidence that the schemes to which Lord Whitty referred were well discussed at the conference, being the most topical subjects within the energy efficiency industry. Because of this, and to promote the schemes, thus furthering Government interests, as well as supporting the energy efficiency industry, British Gas and the Eaga Partnership were the joint sponsors of CEED 2000.

Neil Marshall, Head of Social Policy, British Gas Trading, referred to the "need for effective collaboration between Government, energy suppliers and the energy efficiency industry". There would be a significant increase in the energy efficiency market for the EESoP Schemes, beginning April 2002, when it was visualised that some 950,000 cavity wall insulation and 1.2 million loft insulation installations would be undertaken, 1.3 million tank jackets fitted, 1.25 million condensing boilers installed, 63 million lightbulbs and 3.3 million appliances provided. Meanwhile they were spending £40 million on their current SoP Scheme, with £26 million going to the fuel-poor and disadvantaged customers.

Chris Leek, Director, Eaga Partnership, updated delegates on the Government Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, where they aimed to reach the 4.3 million households in fuel poverty. He described progress to date, explaining that "the new structure was set up and expanding, with referrals over target, but with plenty more still to do".

"Around half the carbon to be saved in 2010 in England and Wales was likely to come from existing dwellings, and around a fifth from new dwellings", according to another government spokesman – Ted King, Building Regulations Division, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. He was discussing the Building Regulations Review currently being carried out in consultation with industry and others with interests in the energy performance of buildings, and the proposed changes to insulation standards both for new and existing buildings.

"If the proposals are implemented, better U-values for dwellings, that are dependent upon boiler performance, would be introduced in two stages. The improved standards for walls would be between 0.35 and 0.25 for dwellings with pitched roofs. Cold bridges would be discouraged. The three methods of calculation would include a switch from the SAP Energy Cost Method to one based on carbon emissions. The proposed changes to the definitions of work would create more roof, floor and wall insulation and draught proofing work in the existing stock of buildings. New dwellings were expected to be 25 per cent more energy efficient related to current practice, but would be between £600 to £1,400 more costly to build.

Don Lack, Leicester Energy Advice Centre, discussed the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) – investment in funding energy efficiency and how to make it pay.

Andrew Warren, Director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy – who led the lobbying which got the HECA through Parliament – spoke on progress with his current project, the Warm Homes Bill, to end fuel poverty by a set target date. The bill had completed its report and third reading stages in the House of Commons, had now moved to the Lords, and was expected to become law at the end of November: "Within a year of the bill becoming law, the Government must begin work on a strategy to end the scandal of fuel poverty in at least five million homes."

HECA Schemes also present opportunities for insulated render and cladding, the subject of a talk by Chris Buntain and Derek Childs, speaking on behalf of the Insulated Render and Cladding Association. This "tea-cosy" technology for higher insulation standards offered opportunities for new build, redundant buildings, for dealing with crumbling facades and cold, damp buildings, and for industrial and commercial buildings. As a refurbishment process, insulated render and cladding solved problems and upgraded the insulation, weather-proofing and improved the appearance, in social housing; it was useful in re-fenestration; and a cost-effective and technologically-sound solution to meet and exceed new thermal regulations, as a simple construction for new build projects. Stylish and unusual projects had even included an upside-down house – only in America!

The final speaker, Sue Lamb, Solarwall Ltd., urged Government, its agencies and fuel suppliers to harness the wealth of marketing expertise within the insulation installing industry to assist take-up within schemes, currently a problem in some areas. That installers wanted paying for this service was regarded as a downside by those responsible for schemes, whereas it should be seen as a very necessary expense to drive the schemes forward.

A lively discussion forum was chaired by Phillip Ward – and he was thanked by Jerry Robson, CEED Chairman, for his support. The conference ended with a tour of Aston Villa Football Club and an evening dinner for delegates.

Copies of speakers' slide presentations are available at £10 from the Council for Energy Efficiency Development, PO Box 12, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3AH. Tel: 01428 654011; Fax: 01428 651401; e-mail: theceed@compuserve.com