Share this page
Print this page:
Add this page to:
Support for green houses 'has to move to new level'
01/06/10
Edited by Tom Bardsley. Schemes to help home owners and residential property landlords improve energy efficiency and cut fuel bills will have to move to a "whole new scale" if the country is to achieve a low carbon economy, according to one observer.
Speaking at the Greenbuild Expo, Manchester City Council executive member for the environment Nigel Murphy said that investment in creating green houses will prove challenging in the current economic climate, but the retrofitting of existing dwellings also offers the opportunity to create a "major enterprise" that will generate jobs for skilled tradesmen like builders, plumbers and electricians.
He added that successfully delivering low carbon communities will also require councils to support individuals, communities and organisations in embracing "culture change" that will embed greener thinking into everyday lifestyles.
"Nations and cities that embrace a low carbon future will be more competitive if future-proofed. We have to change the way we think, the way we work and the way we live," Councillor Murphy commented.
Under the energy bill announced in last week's Queen's Speech, households would be able to access loans to pay for green home improvements, which would then be paid back through the savings they made on their energy bills.
