GBRC

This week I joined the UK Green Building Council to work part-time on their existing homes work, including on the Green Deal and the Great British Refurb Campaign, having recently left the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

I’m feeling quite positive about the coalition and what it could mean for greener homes in the UK.  During the fraught talks on those crucial days post-election as the new coalition was formed, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had plenty of big issues that they disagreed on, not least of all nuclear power.  Despite this, there does seem to be an element of consensus on environmental issues between the parties and they have agreed on policies around a smart grid, renewable energy, electric cars, dropping the third runway at Heathrow and a Green Investment Bank.

This week the Chancellor published the Budget for 2010 which received some pretty mixed reactions. In terms of the green measures, there were a range of announcements including support for the renewables industry, both small and large, some extra cash to help low carbon businesses and green manufacturers, plus some boosts to promote energy efficiency.

For me, the most interesting announcements were around a so-called ‘Green Investment Bank’.  Here at UK-GBC we were very encouraged to hear Government restate their commitment to creating a £2billion Green Investment Bank with a mandate to invest in low-carbon infrastructure.  Essentially Government is proposing that they will invest £1billion themselves which will be matched by the private sector; together the cash will be used to invest in major low-carbon infrastructure projects, particularly in the transport and large renewable energy sectors and should – crucially – be used to leverage further private sector money on a much larger scale. Leveraging capital for hugely complex low-carbon infrastructure is crucial for the renewable future of the UK but we believe the GIB has the potential to bring about a low carbon revolution for homeowners as well. 

The grand unveiling of our house happened just four weeks after the start of the eco-refurbishments. Representatives of the press, campaign supporters, and competition sponsors joined in with the celebrations at our house, as Campaign Director Simon McWhirter handed us back the keys to our 75% more energy efficient home.

No sooner than Cat and I had spent our first weekend in perfect comfort, I had been whisked over to Earl's Court in London for the 2010 EcoBuild conference. Speaking on a panel with Great British Refurb Campaign representative, Simon McWhirter, and representatives from Campaign sponsors Keepmoat, and Knauf Insulation, Journalist and BBC Radio 4's presenter of the Today Programme, Justin Webb, chaired a packed theatre discussion about eco-home refurbishment. Our house, The Home of the Future, was presented as a real example of the energy savings, emissions reductions and improvements to the quality of living than can be achieved in a typical Victorian terrace.

It’s been a busy few days for the Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign.  We’ve been rushed off our feet.  First, there was the Manchester House refurbishment followed by Kevin McCloud appearing at the Tory Conference to tell them how important a programme of eco-refurbishment is for the UK’s existing house stock.  This was accompanied by the Great British Refurb Campaign’s very own Simon McWhirter appearing on the big screen as part of the Manchester House video

Then it was down to Birmingham and Grand Designs Live. On Friday afternoon Kevin appeared on stage with Colin Butfield from WWF and Marian Spain from the Energy Saving Trust as part of the Big Debate.  Both they and the audience were able to quiz Greg Clark MP, Conservative spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change (we quizzed Ed Miliband in London earlier this year). It was a lively debate with huge interest from the audience. A well informed bunch who were not going to let Greg Clark off the hook easily as they questioned him on exactly what the Tory policy was and where, in their opinion, its weaknesses lie.

Sometimes campaigning gets a bit tedious. You can spend loads of time talking amongst yourselves - like minded greenies going round in virtuous circles agreeing with each other, but not making any real impression on those whose minds you've really got to change.

Well the campaign has kicked off a bit of controversy this week - which makes a refreshing change if you ask me. What's the fuss about? Kevin McCloud's appearance at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, that's what.

Frankly, you can only muster so much interest in something that has not yet happened. NGOs and campaigners like us are forever banging on about the world we want to see in the future. Big promises - carbon cuts, energy bill cuts, job creation - are at the hypothetical stage.

That's why it's so important to see green refurb actually carried out. In reality! To a real house! A real householder! You get the idea. Knauf Insulation have been leading this week's Manchester refurbishment project, which Simon McWhirter blogged about last week.